| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Faraday as a Discoverer by John Tyndall: extraordinary degree the power of causing oxygen and hydrogen to
combine. He traced the cause of this to the perfect cleanness of
the positive plate. Against it was liberated oxygen, which, with the
powerful affinity of the 'nascent state,' swept away all impurity
from the surface against which it was liberated. The bubbles of gas
liberated on one of the platinum plates or wires of a decomposing
cell are always much smaller, and they rise in much more rapid
succession than those from the other. Knowing that oxygen is
sixteen times heavier than hydrogen, I have more than once concluded,
and, I fear, led others into the error of concluding, that the smaller
and more quickly rising bubbles must belong to the lighter gas.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: ad Plat. "Apol." 18 B ap. L. Dind. ad loc.; cf. Diod. xiii. 64.
[56] Cf. Plat. "Apol." 23 E.
[57] e.g. Patroclus dying predicts the death of Hector who had slain
him, "Il." xvi. 851 foll.; and Hector that of Achilles, "Il."
xxii. 358 foll. Cf. Cic. "de Div." 1, 30. Plato, "Apol." 39 C,
making Socrates thus address his judges: {to de de meta touto
epithumo umin khresmodesai, o katapsephisamenoi mou' kai gar eimi
ede entautha, en o malist' anthropoi khresmodousin, otan mellosin
apothaneisthai}. "And now, O men who have condemned me, I would
fain prophesy to you, for I am about to die, and that is the hour
at which all men are gifted with prophetic power" (Jowett).
The Apology |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Adventure by Jack London: fella Arunga. I no gammon. I say, 'All right, you come along me
Berande, work three fella year.' He say, 'All right, me come along
you work three fella year.' He come. He catch plenty good fella
kai-kai, {2} plenty good fella money. What name he run away? Me
too much cross along him. I knock what name outa him fella. I pay
Seelee, big fella master along Balesuna, one case tobacco catch
that fella Arunga. All right. Arunga pay that fella case tobacco.
Six pounds that fella Arunga pay. Alle same one year more that
fella Arunga work Berande. All right. Now he catch ten fella whip
three times. You fella Billy catch whip, give that fella Arunga
ten fella three times. All fella boys look see, all fella Marys
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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 The Contrast by Royall Tyler: of your merit will secure you a favourable reception.
JONATHAN
Well, but what must I say to her?
JESSAMY
Say to her! why, my dear friend, though I admire
your profound knowledge on every other subject, yet,
you will pardon my saying that your want of oppor-
tunity has made the female heart escape the poignancy
of your penetration. Say to her! Why, when a man
goes a-courting, and hopes for success, he must begin
with doing, and not saying.
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