| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: another both in point of wit and judgement. On a ship of war, for
instance,[2] the ship is on the high seas, and the crew must row whole
days together to reach moorings.[3] Now note the difference. Here you
may find a captain[4] able by dint of speech and conduct to whet the
souls of those he leads, and sharpen them to voluntary toils; and
there another so dull of wit and destitute of feeling that it will
take his crew just twice the time to finish the same voyage. See them
step on shore. The first ship's company are drenched in sweat; but
listen, they are loud in praise of one another, the captain and his
merry men alike. And the others? They are come at last; they have not
turned a hair, the lazy fellows, but for all that they hate their
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain: The state agent give me a ticket to here, & on the car i thought more of
what you said to me, but didn't make up my mind. When we got to Chicago
on the cars from there to here, I pulled off an old woman's leather;
(ROBBED HER OF HER POCKETBOOK) i hadn't no more than got it off when i
wished i hadn't done it, for awhile before that i made up my mind
to be a square bloke, for months on your word, but forgot it when i saw
the leather was a grip (EASY TO GET)--but i kept clos to her & when she
got out of the cars at a way place i said, marm have you lost anything.
& she tumbled (DISCOVERED) her leather was off (GONE)--is this it says i,
giving it to her--well if you aint honest, says she, but i hadn't got
cheak enough to stand that sort of talk, so i left her in a hurry.
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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 Philebus by Plato: knowledge in the Philebus than we can separate justice from happiness in
the Republic.
IV. An interesting account is given in the Philebus of the rank and order
of the sciences or arts, which agrees generally with the scheme of
knowledge in the Sixth Book of the Republic. The chief difference is, that
the position of the arts is more exactly defined. They are divided into an
empirical part and a scientific part, of which the first is mere guess-
work, the second is determined by rule and measure. Of the more empirical
arts, music is given as an example; this, although affirmed to be necessary
to human life, is depreciated. Music is regarded from a point of view
entirely opposite to that of the Republic, not as a sublime science,
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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 Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe: Miss Ophelia stood silent, perfectly paralyzed with amazement.
St. Clare, like a mischievous fellow as he was, appeared to enjoy
her astonishment; and, addressing the child again, said,
"Topsy, this is your new mistress. I'm going to give you
up to her; see now that you behave yourself."
"Yes, Mas'r," said Topsy, with sanctimonious gravity, her
wicked eyes twinkling as she spoke.
"You're going to be good, Topsy, you understand," said St. Clare.
"O yes, Mas'r," said Topsy, with another twinkle, her hands
still devoutly folded.
"Now, Augustine, what upon earth is this for?" said Miss Ophelia.
Uncle Tom's Cabin |
