The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: SOCRATES: I am not going to play tricks now that you have taken the oath,
for I cannot allow myself to be starved.
PHAEDRUS: Proceed.
SOCRATES: Shall I tell you what I will do?
PHAEDRUS: What?
SOCRATES: I will veil my face and gallop through the discourse as fast as
I can, for if I see you I shall feel ashamed and not know what to say.
PHAEDRUS: Only go on and you may do anything else which you please.
SOCRATES: Come, O ye Muses, melodious, as ye are called, whether you have
received this name from the character of your strains, or because the
Melians are a musical race, help, O help me in the tale which my good
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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 The American by Henry James: some disgust to be forced to assent to Valentin's somewhat cynical
interpretation of the old man's philosophy, and, though circumstances
seemed to indicate that he had not given himself up to a noble despair,
Newman thought it very possible he might be suffering more keenly
than was apparent. M. Nioche had been in the habit of paying him
a respectful little visit every two or three weeks and his absence
might be a proof quite as much of extreme depression as of a desire
to conceal the success with which he had patched up his sorrow.
Newman presently learned from Valentin several details touching this
new phase of Mademoiselle Noemie's career.
"I told you she was remarkable," this unshrinking observer declared,
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