| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: things can be more in conformity with the principles of free trade
than joint-stock companies. State interference means that you try to
regulate the relations of principal and interest, which is absurd. In
business, generally speaking, the profits are in proportion to the
risks. What does it matter to the State how money is set circulating,
provided that it is always in circulation? What does it matter who is
rich or who is poor, provided that there is a constant quantity of
rich people to be taxed? Joint-stock companies, limited liability
companies, every sort of enterprise that pays a dividend, has been
carried on for twenty years in England, commercially the first country
in the world. Nothing passes unchallenged there; the Houses of
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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 Koran: is to whom we shall be gathered.'
He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in truth; and
on the day when He says, 'BE,' then it is. His word is truth; to Him
is the kingdom on the day when the trumpets shall be blown; the knower
of the unseen and of the evident; He is wise and well aware.
When Abraham said to his father Azar, 'Dost thou take idols for
gods? verily, I see thee and thy people in obvious error.' Thus did we
show Abraham the kingdom of heaven and of the earth, that he should be
of those who are sure. And when the night overshadowed him he saw a
star and said, 'This is my Lord;' but when it set he said, 'I love not
those that set.' And when he saw the moon beginning to rise he said,
The Koran |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: There was the figure of the white prisoner still securely
bound as they had last seen him, and in the centre of the hut
another figure equally as motionless, its throat and breasts
horribly torn and mangled.
The sight that met the eyes of the foremost savages
inspired more terror within their superstitious breasts
than would the presence of Sheeta, for they saw only the
result of a ferocious attack upon one of their fellows.
Not seeing the cause, their fear-ridden minds were free to
attribute the ghastly work to supernatural causes, and with
the thought they turned, screaming, from the hut, bowling
The Beasts of Tarzan |
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 Witch, et. al by Anton Chekhov: mute and went on drinking bitters, and when he got drunk he began
talking to the aunt who was sitting opposite:
"I have a friend called Samorodov. A peculiar man. He is by rank
an honorary citizen, and he can talk. But I know him through and
through, auntie, and he feels it. Pray join me in drinking to the
health of Samorodov, auntie!"
Varvara, worn out and distracted, walked round the table pressing
the guests to eat, and was evidently pleased that there were so
many dishes and that everything was so lavish -- no one could
disparage them now. The sun set, but the dinner went on: the
guests were beyond knowing what they were eating or drinking, it
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