| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Riverman by Stewart Edward White: sea-growths lift into a half visibility through translucent shadows
the colour of themselves. All were very intent, very earnest, very
interested, each after his own manner, in the comradeship of the
featherhood he imagined to be uttering distressful cries. A few,
like the chickadees, quivered their wings, opened their little
mouths, fluttered down tiny but aggressive against the disaster.
Others hopped here and there restlessly, uttering plaintive, low-
toned cheeps. The shyest contented themselves by a discreet,
silent, and distant sympathy. Three or four freebooting Jays,
attracted not so much by the supposed calls for help as by
curiosity, fluttered among the tops of the trees, uttering their
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon: the animal is developed, and they will be more concerned about the
quarry than disposed to give their food a thought.[25]
[23] {anairontai} sc. {ai arkues}, see above, vi. 26.
[24] Or, "abandon the practice."
[25] See Stonehenge, p. 289 (another context): ". . . the desire for
game in a well-bred dog is much greater than the appetite for
food, unless the stomach has long been deprived of it."
As a rule, the master should give the dogs their food with his own
hand; since, however much the animal may be in want of food without
his knowing who is to blame for that, it is impossible to have his
hunger satisfied without his forming an affection for his
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: wonderful, and my wife a little better, and the lad flourishing.
We now perform duets on two D tin whistles; it is no joke to make
the bass; I think I must really send you one, which I wish you
would correct . . . I may be said to live for these instrumental
labours now, but I have always some childishness on hand. - I am,
dear Gamekeeper, your indulgent but intemperate Squire,
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
Letter: TO CHARLES BAXTER
UNION HOUSE, MANASQUAN, N.J., BUT ADDRESS TO SCRIBNER'S, 11TH MAY
1888.
MY DEAR CHARLES, - I have found a yacht, and we are going the full
|
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 Juana by Honore de Balzac: thoughts behind a smiling face which lied to him nobly. Many young men
--for after a certain age men no longer struggle--persist in the
effort to triumph over an evil fate, the thunder of which they hear,
from time to time, on the horizon of their lives; and when at last
they succumb and roll down the precipice of evil, we ought to do them
justice and acknowledge these inward struggles.
Like many men Diard tried all things, and all things were hostile to
him. His wealth enabled him to surround his wife with the enjoyments
of Parisian luxury. She lived in a fine house, with noble rooms, where
she maintained a salon, in which abounded artists (by nature no judges
of men), men of pleasure ready to amuse themselves anywhere, a few
|
