| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Fantastic Fables by Ambrose Bierce: "Upon what ground, sir?" the Judge asked in surprise.
"Upon the ground," said the Attorney, "that after paying all fees
and expenses of litigation and all charges against the estate there
will still be something left."
"There may have been an error," said His Honour, thoughtfully -
"the Court may have underestimated the value of the estate. The
motion is taken under advisement."
The Wooden Guns
AN Artillery Regiment of a State Militia applied to the Governor
for wooden guns to practise with.
"Those," they explained, "will be cheaper than real ones."
Fantastic Fables |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: as the great advantage of wisdom--to know what is known and what is unknown
to us?
Very true, he said.
And now you perceive, I said, that no such science is to be found anywhere.
I perceive, he said.
May we assume then, I said, that wisdom, viewed in this new light merely as
a knowledge of knowledge and ignorance, has this advantage:--that he who
possesses such knowledge will more easily learn anything which he learns;
and that everything will be clearer to him, because, in addition to the
knowledge of individuals, he sees the science, and this also will better
enable him to test the knowledge which others have of what he knows
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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 Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw: also stole from a book of idle wanton tales two of the most damnable
foolishnesses in the world, in the one of which a woman goeth in man's
attire and maketh impudent love to her swain, who pleaseth the
groundlings by overthrowing a wrestler; whilst, in the other, one of
the same kidney sheweth her wit by saying endless naughtinesses to a
gentleman as lewd as herself. I have writ these to save my friends
from penury, yet shewing my scorn for such follies and for them that
praise them by calling the one As You Like It, meaning that it is not
as _I_ like it, and the other Much Ado About Nothing, as it truly is.
And now these two filthy pieces drive their nobler fellows from the
stage, where indeed I cannot have my lady physician presented at all,
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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 Silas Marner by George Eliot: straight forrard."
"Ah, to be sure, man," said the farrier, who began to feel that he
had not been quite on a par with himself and the occasion. "Let's
have no more staring and screaming, else we'll have you strapped for
a madman. That was why I didn't speak at the first--thinks I, the
man's run mad."
"Aye, aye, make him sit down," said several voices at once, well
pleased that the reality of ghosts remained still an open question.
The landlord forced Marner to take off his coat, and then to sit
down on a chair aloof from every one else, in the centre of the
circle and in the direct rays of the fire. The weaver, too feeble
Silas Marner |
