| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Psychology of Revolution by Gustave le Bon: classify them. Considering only the designed object, we will
divide them into scientific revolutions, political revolutions,
and religious revolutions.
2. Scientific Revolutions.
Scientific revolutions are by far the most important. Although
they attract but little attention, they are often fraught with
remote consequences, such as are not engendered by political
revolutions. We will therefore put them first, although we
cannot study them here.
For instance, if our conceptions of the universe have profoundly
changed since the time of the Revolution, it is because
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: see y'u doing that fancywork and I'll not say a word. It'll keep,
all right, what I want to say."
"I notice you keep talking," she told him, dryly.
"Yes, ma'am. Y'u had better have let me say what I wanted to, but
I'll be good now."
He fell asleep watching her, and when he awoke she was still
sitting there, though it was beginning to grow dark. He spoke
before she knew he was awake.
"I'm going to get well, the doctor thinks."
"Yes, he told me," she answered.
"Did he tell y'u it was your nursing saved me?"
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: "Troth did I, hinny," replied the good-natured lady, "just at the
instant; it's sae natural to think on ane's blude relations
before themsells;--But there's young Earnscliff."
"He has ower little o' his ain; and siccan a name to keep up, it
wad be a shame," said Hobbie, "to burden him wi' our distress.
And I'll tell ye, grannie, it's needless to sit rhyming ower the
style of a' your kith, kin, and allies, as if there was a charm
in their braw names to do us good; the grandees hae forgotten us,
and those of our ain degree hae just little eneugh to gang on wi'
themsells; ne'er a friend hae we that can, or will, help us to
stock the farm again."
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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 In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield: Upstairs in the ugly room the Frau sat sewing, a black shawl round her
shoulders, her feet encased in red woollen slippers. The girl put the milk
on a table by her, then stood, polishing a spoon on her apron.
"Nothing else?"
"Na," said the Frau, heaving up in her chair. "Where's my man?"
"He's playing cards over at Snipold's. Do you want him?"
"Dear heaven, leave him alone. I'm nothing. I don't matter...And the
whole day waiting here."
Her hand shook as she wiped the rim of the glass with her fat finger.
"Shall I help you to bed?"
"You go downstairs, leave me alone. Tell Anna not to let Hans grub the
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