| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: Fortune is to be honored and respected, and it be
but for her daughters, Confidence and Reputation.
For those two, Felicity breedeth; the first within
a man's self, the latter in others towards him. All
wise men, to decline the envy of their own virtues,
use to ascribe them to Providence and Fortune; for
so they may the better assume them: and, besides,
it is greatness in a man, to be the care of the higher
powers. So Caesar said to the pilot in the tempest,
Caesarem portas, et fortunam ejus. So Sylla chose
the name of Felix, and not of Magnus. And it hath
Essays of Francis Bacon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Treatise on Parents and Children by George Bernard Shaw: such certainty that they are prepared to visit all the rigors of the
law, and all the ruinous penalties of social ostracism on people,
however harmless their actions maybe who venture to laugh at their
monstrous conceit or to pay their assumptions the extravagant
compliment of criticizing them. As to children, who shall say what
canings and birchings and terrifyings and threats of hell fire and
impositions and humiliations and petty imprisonings and sendings to
bed and standing in corners and the like they have suffered because
their parents and guardians and teachers knew everything so much
better than Socrates or Solon?
It is this ignorant uppishness that does the mischief. A stranger on
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Z. Marcas by Honore de Balzac: that the great thing was to be first in the field.
Thenceforward, we often sat late at work under the lamp. Our generous
instructor wrote some notes for our guidance--two pages for Juste and
three for me--full of invaluable advice--the sort of information which
experience alone can supply, such landmarks as only genius can place.
In those papers, smelling of tobacco, and covered with writing so vile
as to be almost hieroglyphic, there are suggestions for a fortune, and
forecasts of unerring acumen. There are hints as to certain parts of
America and Asia which have been fully justified, both before and
since Juste and I could set out.
Marcas, like us, was in the most abject poverty. He earned, indeed,
|
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 Bab:A Sub-Deb, Mary Roberts Rinehart by Mary Roberts Rinehart: with a Roman noze?"
I have not been feeling very well, dear Dairy, and so I sudenly
began to weap.
"Why, chicken!" said my father. And made me sit down on his knee.
"Don't tell me that my bit of sunshine is behind a cloud!"
"Behind a noze," I said, feebly.
So he said he liked my noze, even although somwhat swolen, and he
kissed it, and told me I was a little fool, and at last I saw he
was about ready to be tackeled. So I observed:
"Father, will you do me a faver?"
"Sure," he said. "How much do you need? Busness is pretty good now,
|
