| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: soul's health to no manner of purpose.--I own it, replied Dr. Slop.--They
are like sparrow-shot, quoth my uncle Toby (suspending his whistling) fired
against a bastion.--They serve, continued my father, to stir the humours--
but carry off none of their acrimony:--for my own part, I seldom swear or
curse at all--I hold it bad--but if I fall into it by surprize, I generally
retain so much presence of mind (right, quoth my uncle Toby) as to make it
answer my purpose--that is, I swear on till I find myself easy. A wife and
a just man however would always endeavour to proportion the vent given to
these humours, not only to the degree of them stirring within himself--but
to the size and ill intent of the offence upon which they are to fall.--
'Injuries come only from the heart,'--quoth my uncle Toby. For this
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: hindmost place, and seek only to be foremost;--(of all which the end
is) death.
4. Gentleness is sure to be victorious even in battle, and firmly to
maintain its ground. Heaven will save its possessor, by his (very)
gentleness protecting him.
68. He who in (Tao's) wars has skill
Assumes no martial port;
He who fights with most good will
To rage makes no resort.
He who vanquishes yet still
Keeps from his foes apart;
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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 Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: pointed shoes; men in khaki, sailors, shabby clerks, young Jews in fine
cloth suits with padded shoulders and wide trousers, "hospital boys" in
blue--the sun discovers them--the loud, bold music holds them together in
one big knot for a moment. The young ones are larking, pushing each other
on and off the pavement, dodging, nudging; the old ones are talking: "So I
said to 'im, if you wants the doctor to yourself, fetch 'im, says I."
"An' by the time they was cooked there wasn't so much as you could put in
the palm of me 'and!"
The only ones who are quiet are the ragged children. They stand, as close
up to the musicians as they can get, their hands behind their backs, their
eyes big. Occasionally a leg hops, an arm wags. A tiny staggerer,
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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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: Catrail; but let the gear gang,--if ye could but gie me speerings
o' puir Grace, I would be content to be your slave for life, in
onything that didna touch my salvation. O, Elshie, speak, man,
speak!"
"Well, then," answered the Dwarf, as if worn out by his
importunity, "since thou hast not enough of woes of thine own,
but must needs seek to burden thyself with those of a partner,
seek her whom thou hast lost in the WEST."
"In the WEST? That's a wide word."
"It is the last," said the Dwarf, which I design to utter;" and
he drew the shutters of his window, leaving Hobbie to make the
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