| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Familiar Studies of Men and Books by Robert Louis Stevenson: has seldom been presented. He is an egoist; he does not
remember, or does not think it worth while to remark, that,
in these near intimacies, we are ninety-nine times
disappointed in our beggarly selves for once that we are
disappointed in our friend; that it is we who seem most
frequently undeserving of the love that unites us; and that
it is by our friend's conduct that we are continually rebuked
and yet strengthened for a fresh endeavour. Thoreau is dry,
priggish, and selfish. It is profit he is after in these
intimacies; moral profit, certainly, but still profit to
himself. If you will be the sort of friend I want, he
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: both cases there is no web and therefore no need for lofty contact-
points. They are not allowed to quit the ground and climb the
heights.
Yet here we have the young Lycosa, wishing to leave the maternal
abode and to travel far afield by the easiest and swiftest methods,
suddenly becoming an enthusiastic climber. Impetuously she scales
the wire trellis of the cage where she was born; hurriedly she
clambers to the top of the tall mast which I have prepared for her.
In the same way, she would make for the summit of the bushes in her
waste-land.
We catch a glimpse of her object. From on high, finding a wide
The Life of the Spider |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne: "Is that quite true?"
"It is true."
Ah! women and young girls, how incomprehensible are your feminine
hearts! When you are not the timidest, you are the bravest of
creatures. Reason has nothing to do with your actions. What! did this
child encourage me in such an expedition! Would she not be afraid to
join it herself? And she was driving me to it, one whom she loved!
I was disconcerted, and, if I must tell the whole truth, I was
ashamed.
"Gräuben, we will see whether you will say the same thing tomorrow."
"To-morrow, dear Axel, I will say what I say to-day."
Journey to the Center of the Earth |
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 Soul of the Far East by Percival Lowell: to vexed metaphysical questions, but as a study in sociology it may
not prove so vain.
And for a thing which is always with us, its discussion may be said
to be peculiarly opportune just now. For it lies at the bottom of
the most pressing questions of the day. Of the two great problems
that stare the Western world in the face at the present moment, both
turn to it for solution. Agnosticism, the foreboding silence of
those who think, socialism, communism, and nihilism, the petulant
cry of those who do not, alike depend ultimately for the right to be
upon the truth or the falsity of the sense of self.
For if there be no such actual thing as individuality, if the
|
