| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Young Forester by Zane Grey: I was puzzled, but presently I caught his meaning. Bill and Herky-Jerky
were hanging on our words with unconcealed attention. Even the Mexican was
listening. Dick's cue was to scare them, or at least to have some fun at
their expense.
"They've passed it," I replied. "Fellows like Buell will go to the
penitentiary for life. His men'll get twenty years on bread and water. No
whiskey! Serves 'em right."
"What'll the President do when he learns these men kidnapped you?"
"Do? He'll have the whole forest service out here and the National Guard.
He's a friend of my father's. Why, these kidnappers will be hanged!"
"I wish the Guard would come quick. Too bad you couldn't have sent word!
The Young Forester |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Euthyphro by Plato: ministration. Yes; but the ministrations of the husbandman, the physician,
and the builder have an end. To what end do we serve the gods, and what do
we help them to accomplish? Euthyphro replies, that all these difficult
questions cannot be resolved in a short time; and he would rather say
simply that piety is knowing how to please the gods in word and deed, by
prayers and sacrifices. In other words, says Socrates, piety is 'a science
of asking and giving'--asking what we want and giving what they want; in
short, a mode of doing business between gods and men. But although they
are the givers of all good, how can we give them any good in return? 'Nay,
but we give them honour.' Then we give them not what is beneficial, but
what is pleasing or dear to them; and this is the point which has been
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