| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac: listening with all their ears.
"Sacrilege!" exclaimed old Hochon. "If some good abbe, keen as I have
known many of them to be, knew what a dilemma you are in, he would not
think it sacrilege to bring your brother's lost soul back to God, and
call him to repentance for his sins, by forcing him to send away the
woman who causes the scandal (with a proper provision, of course), and
showing him how to set his conscience at rest by giving a few thousand
francs a year to the seminary of the archbishop and leaving his
property to the rightful heirs."
The passive obedience which the old miser had always exacted from his
children, and now from his grandchildren (who were under his
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Laches by Plato: is applicable, not only to them, but to us, and to every one who is
occupied with public affairs. As he says, such persons are too apt to be
negligent and careless of their own children and their private concerns.
There is much truth in that remark of yours, Lysimachus. But why, instead
of consulting us, do you not consult our friend Socrates about the
education of the youths? He is of the same deme with you, and is always
passing his time in places where the youth have any noble study or pursuit,
such as you are enquiring after.
LYSIMACHUS: Why, Laches, has Socrates ever attended to matters of this
sort?
LACHES: Certainly, Lysimachus.
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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 Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: Go to Spain!
Rain! Rain!
Go to Spain!''
And all the little girls thought that was so beautiful that they
began to beat all over the windows, too, just as high and just as
far as their little damp pink fingers could reach, and to sing as
loud and as gaily as they could sing:
``Rain! Rain!
Go to Spain!''
Sister Theckla and Sister Angela came to the door of the room,--and
they were so astonished that they could only look at one another and
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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 Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: it that thou hast heard the words of God incarnate? And what is
the uncertain day of death? For on this account much anxiety
hath fallen on my heart, and consumeth my flesh in pain and
grief, and fasteneth on my very bones. And shall we men,
appointed to die, return to nothing, or is there some other life
after our departure hence? These and kindred questions I have
been longing to resolve."
Thus questioned he; and Barlaam answered thus: "The good hope,
whereof I spake, is that of the kingdom of Heaven. But that
kingdom is far beyond the utterance of mortal tongue; for the
Scripture saith, `Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
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