| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: "I'm cold all through. That's the worst of this place--the mists--it's a
damp cold. Here, Forman, look after this sleigh--and stick it somewhere so
that I can get it without looking through a hundred and fifty others to-
morrow morning."
They sat down at a small round table near the stove and ordered coffee.
Victor sprawled in his chair, patting his little brown dog Bobo and
looking, half laughingly, at Max.
"What's the matter, my dear? Isn't the world being nice and pretty?"
"I want my coffee, and I want to put my feet into my pocket--they're like
stones...Nothing to eat, thanks--the cake is like underdone india-rubber
here."
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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 Republic by Plato: out good-for-nothing lives, or to have weak fathers begetting weaker sons;
--if a man was not able to live in the ordinary way he had no business to
cure him; for such a cure would have been of no use either to himself, or
to the State.
Then, he said, you regard Asclepius as a statesman.
Clearly; and his character is further illustrated by his sons. Note that
they were heroes in the days of old and practised the medicines of which I
am speaking at the siege of Troy: You will remember how, when Pandarus
wounded Menelaus, they
'Sucked the blood out of the wound, and sprinkled soothing remedies,'
but they never prescribed what the patient was afterwards to eat or drink
The Republic |
