| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Parmenides by Plato: nothing, in relation to one and to the others.
2.a. But, again, assume the opposite hypothesis, that the one is not, and
what is the consequence? In the first place, the proposition, that one is
not, is clearly opposed to the proposition, that not one is not. The
subject of any negative proposition implies at once knowledge and
difference. Thus 'one' in the proposition--'The one is not,' must be
something known, or the words would be unintelligible; and again this 'one
which is not' is something different from other things. Moreover, this and
that, some and other, may be all attributed or related to the one which is
not, and which though non-existent may and must have plurality, if the one
only is non-existent and nothing else; but if all is not-being there is
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft: antarctic season - or longer, if absolutely necessary - would
permit, operating mostly in the mountain ranges and on the plateau
south of Ross Sea; regions explored in varying degree by Shackleton,
Amundsen, Scott, and Byrd. With frequent changes of camp, made
by aeroplane and involving distances great enough to be of geological
significance, we expected to unearth a quite unprecedented amount
of material - especially in the pre-Cambrian strata of which so
narrow a range of antarctic specimens had previously been secured.
We wished also to obtain as great as possible a variety of the
upper fossiliferous rocks, since the primal life history of this
bleak realm of ice and death is of the highest importance to our
At the Mountains of Madness |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Othello by William Shakespeare: And prayes you to beleeue him
Duke. 'Tis certaine then for Cyprus:
Marcus Luccicos is not he in Towne?
1.Sen. He's now in Florence
Duke. Write from vs,
To him, Post, Post-haste, dispatch
1.Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the Valiant Moore.
Enter Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago, Rodorigo, and Officers.
Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you,
Against the generall Enemy Ottoman.
I did not see you: welcome gentle Signior,
Othello |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: breeze, the shining solitude of fields, or woods. However much
one loves a woman, whatever confidence one may have in her,
whatever certainty her past may offer us as to her future, one is
always more or less jealous. If you have been in love, you must
have felt the need of isolating from this world the being in whom
you would live wholly. It seems as if, however indifferent she
may be to her surroundings, the woman whom one loves loses
something of her perfume and of her unity at the contact of men
and things. As for me, I experienced that more than most. Mine
was not an ordinary love; I was as much in love as an ordinary
creature could be, but with Marguerite Gautier; that is to say,
Camille |
