| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Alexandria and her Schools by Charles Kingsley: Deities to heroes, and to the guardian angel of each man; the meed of
the philosopher being, that by self-culture and self-restraint he could
rise above the tutelage of some lower and more earthly daemon, and
become the pupil of a God, and finally a God himself.
These contradictions need not lower the great Father of Neoplatonism in
our eyes, as a moral being. All accounts of him seem to prove him to
have been what Apollo, in a lengthy oracle, declared him to have been,
"good and gentle, and benignant exceedingly, and pleasant in all his
conversation." He gave good advice about earthly matters, was a
faithful steward of moneys deposited with him, a guardian of widows and
orphans, a righteous and loving man. In his practical life, the ascetic
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ion by Plato: poet. 'And yet, surely, he who knows the superior ought to know the
inferior also;--he who can judge of the good speaker is able to judge of
the bad. And poetry is a whole; and he who judges of poetry by rules of
art ought to be able to judge of all poetry.' This is confirmed by the
analogy of sculpture, painting, flute-playing, and the other arts. The
argument is at last brought home to the mind of Ion, who asks how this
contradiction is to be solved. The solution given by Socrates is as
follows:--
The rhapsode is not guided by rules of art, but is an inspired person who
derives a mysterious power from the poet; and the poet, in like manner, is
inspired by the God. The poets and their interpreters may be compared to a
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Master Key by L. Frank Baum: treat you decently, and I've no fault to find with you except that
you forgot you were a slave and tried to be a master."
The Demon did not reply. He was busily forcing the various electrical
devices that Rob had relinquished into the pockets of his fiery jacket.
Finally he turned with an abrupt movement.
"Good-by!" he cried. "When mortal eyes next behold me they will be
those of one fit to command my services! As for you, your days will
be passed in obscurity and your name be unknown to fame.
Good-by,--forever!"
The room filled with a flash of white light so like a sheet of
lightning that the boy went reeling backwards, half stunned and
The Master Key |
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 Koran: be near or far!'
Verily, He knows what is spoken openly, and He knows what ye hide.
I know not, haply it is a trial for you and a provision for a
season.
Say, 'My Lord! judge thou with truth! and our Lord is the Merciful
whom we ask for aid against what they ascribe!'
THE CHAPTER OF THE PILGRIMAGE
(XXII. Mecca.)
IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
O ye folk! fear your Lord. Verily, the earthquake of the Hour is a
mighty thing.
The Koran |
