| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: persons, for my part I observe,[7] or seem to have observed, that we
are liable to various pains and pleasures, in the shape of sights,
sounds, odours, meats, and drinks, which are conveyed through certain
avenues of sense--to wit, the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth. And there
are other pleasures, those named of Aphrodite, of which the channels
are well known. While as to degree of heat and cold, things hard and
soft, things light and heavy, the sense appealed to here, I venture to
believe, is that of the whole body;[8] whereby we discern these
opposites, and derive from them now pain, now pleasure. But with
regard to things named good and evil,[9] it appears to me that
sometimes the mind (or soul) itself is the sole instrument by which we
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Heap O' Livin' by Edgar A. Guest: That I so bravely must defy;
There are no foes along my way,
However bitter they may be,
So powerful to injure me
As I am, nor as quick to spoil
The beauty of my bit of toil.
Nobody harms me more than I;
No one is meaner unto me;
Of all the foes that pass me by
I am the worst one that I see.
I am the dangerous man to fear;
A Heap O' Livin' |
