| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: master and bad servants; but they were the sufferers, not he.[20] No,
he who would create a spirit of carefulness in others[21] must have
the skill himself to supervise the field of labour; to test, examine,
scrutinise.[22] He must be ready to requite where due the favour of a
service well performed, nor hesitate to visit the penalty of their
deserts upon those neglectful of their duty.[23] Indeed (he added),
the answer of the barbarian to the king seems aposite. You know the
story,[24] how the king had met with a good horse, but wished to give
the creature flesh and that without delay, and so asked some one
reputed to be clever about horses: "What will give him flesh most
quickly?" To which the other: "The master's eye." So, too, it strikes
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw: my life--
BENTLEY. "amend my life"?
PERCIVAL. --and to do what in me lies to prove worthy of his kindness
in giving me another chance--
BENTLEY. "another chance"?
PERCIVAL. --and refraining from delivering me up to the punishment I
so richly deserve.
BENTLEY. "richly deserve."
PERCIVAL. _[to Hypatia]_ Does that satisfy you, Miss Tarleton?
HYPATIA. Yes: that will teach him to tell lies next time.
BENTLEY. _[rising to make place for Gunner and handing him the pen]_
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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 Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: view of the market-place.
"What can it all mean?" he kept repeating to himself, as, with his
hands clasped behind him, and his gown floating in the air, he paced
rapidly up and down the room. "I never heard such shouting before--
and at this time of the morning, too! And with such unanimity!
Doesn't it strike you as very remarkable?"
I represented, modestly, that to my ears it appeared that they were
shouting for different things, but the Chancellor would not listen to
my suggestion for a moment. "They all shout the same words, I assure
you!" he said: then, leaning well out of the window, he whispered to a
man who was standing close underneath, "Keep'em together, ca'n't you?
Sylvie and Bruno |
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 Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche: to "disinterested knowledge" The objective man, who no longer
curses and scolds like the pessimist, the IDEAL man of learning
in whom the scientific instinct blossoms forth fully after a
thousand complete and partial failures, is assuredly one of the
most costly instruments that exist, but his place is in the hand
of one who is more powerful He is only an instrument, we may say,
he is a MIRROR--he is no "purpose in himself" The objective man
is in truth a mirror accustomed to prostration before everything
that wants to be known, with such desires only as knowing or
"reflecting" implies--he waits until something comes, and then
expands himself sensitively, so that even the light footsteps and
Beyond Good and Evil |
