| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: converse with the young. "Was it open to him," Socrates inquired of
the speaker, "in case he failed to understand their commands in any
point, to ask for an explanation?"
[17] Lit. "Nomothetes." See "Hell." II. iii. 2; Dem. 706. For
Charicles see Lys. "c. Eratosth." S. 56; Aristot. "Pol." v. 6. 6.
[18] See Diog. Laert. II. v. ("Socr.")
[19] i.e. {to ton etto logon kreitto poiein}, "of making the worse
appear the better cause." Cf. Arist. "Clouds."
[20] See Dio Chrys. "Or." 43.
"Certainly," the two assented.
Then Socrates: I am prepared to obey the laws, but to avoid
The Memorabilia |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: of several months Quint and the boy had been perpetually together.
It was in fact the very appropriate truth that she had ventured to criticize
the propriety, to hint at the incongruity, of so close an alliance,
and even to go so far on the subject as a frank overture to Miss Jessel.
Miss Jessel had, with a most strange manner, requested her to mind her
business, and the good woman had, on this, directly approached little Miles.
What she had said to him, since I pressed, was that SHE liked to see
young gentlemen not forget their station.
I pressed again, of course, at this. "You reminded him that Quint
was only a base menial?"
"As you might say! And it was his answer, for one thing,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: "I do not think"--said Samuel
Whiskers, pausing to take a look at
Tom Kitten--"I do NOT think it will be
a good pudding. It smells sooty."
Anna Maria was about to argue the
point when all at once there began to
be other sounds up above--the
rasping noise of a saw, and the noise
of a little dog, scratching and yelping!
The rats dropped the rolling pin
and listened attentively.
|
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: in a position to carry out that marriage with thee, I
OUGHT to do it--I ought to do it, indeed!"
The contingency that he had in his mind was, of course, the
death of Mrs. Henchard.
As requested, he sealed up Lucetta's letters, and put the
parcel aside till the day she had appointed; this plan of
returning them by hand being apparently a little ruse of
the young lady for exchanging a word or two with him on past
times. He would have preferred not to see her; but deeming
that there could be no great harm in acquiescing thus far,
he went at dusk and stood opposite the coach-office.
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
