| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Othello by William Shakespeare: It makes vs, or it marres vs, thinke on that,
And fixe most firme thy Resolution
Rod. Be neere at hand, I may miscarry in't
Iago. Heere, at thy hand: Be bold, & take thy stand
Rod. I haue no great deuotion to the deed,
And yet he hath giuen me satisfying Reasons:
'Tis but a man gone. Forth my Sword: he dies
Iago. I haue rub'd this yong Quat almost to the sense,
And he growes angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,
Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
Euery way makes my gaine. Liue Rodorigo,
Othello |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Memories and Portraits by Robert Louis Stevenson: in wait to intercept us; till the bell sounds again, we are the
masters of the world; and some portion of our lives is always
Saturday, LA TREVE DE DIEU.
Nor must we omit the sense of the nature of his country and his
country's history gradually growing in the child's mind from story
and from observation. A Scottish child hears much of shipwreck,
outlying iron skerries, pitiless breakers, and great sea-lights;
much of heathery mountains, wild clans, and hunted Covenanters.
Breaths come to him in song of the distant Cheviots and the ring of
foraying hoofs. He glories in his hard-fisted forefathers, of the
iron girdle and the handful of oat-meal, who rode so swiftly and
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: Thus at a banquet, do not discuss how people ought to eat; but
eat as you ought. Remember that Socrates thus entirely avoided
ostentation. Men would come to him desiring to be recommended to
philosophers, and he would conduct them thither himself--so well
did he bear being overlooked. Accordingly if any talk concerning
principles should arise among the unlearned, be you for the most
part silent. For you run great risk of spewing up what you have
ill digested. And when a man tells you that you know nothing and
you are not nettled at it, then you may be sure that you have
begun the work.
CLXXVI
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
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 Young Forester by Zane Grey: "Leslie, I'm seein' this out--understand? When Bud rode down to the mill an'
told me the kid had got away I made up my mind to ketch him an' shet his
mouth--one way or another. An' I'll do it. Take thet from me!"
"Bah!" sneered Dick. "You're sca'red into the middle of next week right
now. . . . Besides, if you do ketch Ken it won't do you any good-now!"
"What?"
But Dick shut up like a clam, and not another word could be gotten from
him. Buell fumed and stamped.
"Bud, you're the only one in this bunch of loggerheads thet has any sense.
What d'you say?"
"Quiet down an' wait here," replied Bud. "Mebbe old Bent didn't hear them
The Young Forester |
