| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Euthyphro by Plato: destruction.
SOCRATES: I think that you could have answered in much fewer words the
chief question which I asked, Euthyphro, if you had chosen. But I see
plainly that you are not disposed to instruct me--clearly not: else why,
when we reached the point, did you turn aside? Had you only answered me I
should have truly learned of you by this time the nature of piety. Now, as
the asker of a question is necessarily dependent on the answerer, whither
he leads I must follow; and can only ask again, what is the pious, and what
is piety? Do you mean that they are a sort of science of praying and
sacrificing?
EUTHYPHRO: Yes, I do.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: nothing until the Lady Anne, turning suddenly, said: "Come, coz,
has thou naught to say to our new-made knight? Canst thou not
also wish him joy of his knighthood?"
Lady Alice hesitated a minute, then gave Myles a timid hand,
which he, with a strange mixture of joy and confusion, took as
timidly as it was offered. He raised the hand, and set it lightly
and for an instant to his lips, as he had done with the Lady
Anne's hand, but with very different emotions.
"I give you joy of your knighthood, sir," said Lady Alice, in a
voice so low that Myles could hardly hear it.
Both flushed red, and as he raised his head again, Myles saw that
Men of Iron |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: brief moment. The two women had little in common, except
their work, but they got on very well, and each found the
other educating.
"Seems to me you're putting an awful lot into this,"
observed Ella Monahan, her wise eyes on Fanny's rather tense
face.
"You've got to," replied Fanny, "to get anything out of it."
"I guess you're right," Ella agreed, and laughed a rueful
little laugh. "I know I've given 'em everything I've got--
and a few things I didn't know I had. It's a queer game--
life. Now if my old father hadn't run a tannery in Racine,
Fanny Herself |
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 Peter Pan by James M. Barrie: "Very soon."
"I don't want to go to school and learn solemn things," he told
her passionately. "I don't want to be a man. O Wendy's mother,
if I was to wake up and feel there was a beard!"
"Peter," said Wendy the comforter, "I should love you in a
beard"; and Mrs. Darling stretched out her arms to him, but he
repulsed her.
"Keep back, lady, no one is going to catch me and make me a
man."
"But where are you going to live?"
"With Tink in the house we built for Wendy. The fairies are to
Peter Pan |
