| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Art of War by Sun Tzu: mentioned in the Sung history, the T`UNG K`AO, or the YU HAI, but
it finds a niche in the T`UNG CHIH, which also names him as the
author of the "Lives of Famous Generals." [46]
It is rather remarkable that the last-named four should all
have flourished within so short a space of time. Ch`ao Kung-wu
accounts for it by saying: "During the early years of the Sung
dynasty the Empire enjoyed a long spell of peace, and men ceased
to practice the art of war. but when [Chao] Yuan-hao's rebellion
came [1038-42] and the frontier generals were defeated time after
time, the Court made strenuous inquiry for men skilled in war,
and military topics became the vogue amongst all the high
The Art of War |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart: only by right of purchase, and were by way of being community
property. When, early in her widowhood and her return to his home,
she had found that her protests resulted only in a sort of
clandestine giving or lending, she had exacted a promise from him.
"I ask only one thing, David," she had said. "Tell me where the
things go. There wasn't a blanket for the guest-room bed at the
time of the Diocesan Convention."
"I'll run around to the Wheelers' and get them," Dick observed, in
a carefully casual voice. "I'll see the Carter baby, too, David,
and that clears the afternoon. Any message?"
Lucy glanced at him, but David moved toward the house.
The Breaking Point |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton: forgotten associations had spoken in him. Susy listened to him
wistfully, silenced by her imaginative perception of the
distance that these things had put between them.
"It was horrible ... seeing them both there together, laid out
in that hideous Pugin chapel at Altringham ... the poor boy
especially. I suppose that's really what's cutting me up now,"
he murmured, almost apologetically.
"Oh, it's more than that--more than you know," she insisted; but
he jerked back: "Now, my dear, don't be edifying, please," and
fumbled for a cigarette in the pocket which was already
beginning to bulge with his miscellaneous properties.
|
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 My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: particular, it is alleged that we rarely forgive, and never
forget, any injuries received--that we make an idol of our
resentment, as poor Lady Constance did of her grief, and are
addicted, as Burns says, to 'nursing our wrath to keep it warm.'
Lady Bothwell was not without this feeling; and, I believe,
nothing whatever, scarce the restoration of the Stewart line,
could have happened so delicious to her feelings as an
opportunity of being revenged on Sir Philip Forester for the deep
and double injury which had deprived her of a sister and of a
brother. But nothing of him was heard or known till many a year
had passed away.
|
