| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Symposium by Plato: the evil love. For all manner of impiety is likely to ensue if, instead of
accepting and honouring and reverencing the harmonious love in all his
actions, a man honours the other love, whether in his feelings towards gods
or parents, towards the living or the dead. Wherefore the business of
divination is to see to these loves and to heal them, and divination is the
peacemaker of gods and men, working by a knowledge of the religious or
irreligious tendencies which exist in human loves. Such is the great and
mighty, or rather omnipotent force of love in general. And the love, more
especially, which is concerned with the good, and which is perfected in
company with temperance and justice, whether among gods or men, has the
greatest power, and is the source of all our happiness and harmony, and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: praises of its mistress in every key. She had her doctor in ordinary,
her grand almoner, her chamberlain, her first lady of honor, her prime
minister; above all, her chancellor, a chancellor who would fain have
said much to her. If the heiress had wished for a train-bearer, one
would instantly have been found. She was a queen, obsequiously
flattered. Flattery never emanates from noble souls; it is the gift of
little minds, who thus still further belittle themselves to worm their
way into the vital being of the persons around whom they crawl.
Flattery means self-interest. So the people who, night after night,
assembled in Mademoiselle Grandet's house (they called her
Mademoiselle de Froidfond) outdid each other in expressions of
Eugenie Grandet |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: is much greater than that which is exercised by the Departments,
their expenditure is also more considerable. As for the budgets
of the counties, nothing of the kind occurs in the French system
of finances; and it is, again, doubtful whether the corresponding
expenses should be referred to the budget of the State or to
those of the municipal divisions. Municipal expenses exist in
both countries, but they are not always analogous. In America
the townships discharge a variety of offices which are reserved
in France to the Departments or to the State. It may, moreover,
be asked what is to be understood by the municipal expenses of
America. The organization of the municipal bodies or townships
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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 King James Bible: of the LORD, that I die not:
SA1 20:15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house
for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every
one from the face of the earth.
SA1 20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying,
Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
SA1 20:17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved
him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
SA1 20:18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and
thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
SA1 20:19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down
King James Bible |
