| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Timaeus by Plato: complete dominion over us, we are least able to perceive them. We
recognize them in the ancients, but we fail to see them in ourselves.
Such reflections, although this is not the place in which to dwell upon
them at length, lead us to take a favourable view of the speculations of
the Timaeus. We should consider not how much Plato actually knew, but how
far he has contributed to the general ideas of physics, or supplied the
notions which, whether true or false, have stimulated the minds of later
generations in the path of discovery. Some of them may seem old-fashioned,
but may nevertheless have had a great influence in promoting system and
assisting enquiry, while in others we hear the latest word of physical or
metaphysical philosophy. There is also an intermediate class, in which
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: had just stepped out upon the balcony of a house not far away. At her
side stood an elderly female slave, who held over the girl's head a
kind of parasol with a handle made of long, slender reeds. In the
middle of the rug spread upon the floor of the balcony stood a large
open travelling-hamper or basket, and girdles, veils, head-dresses,
and gold and silver ornaments were scattered about in confusion. At
intervals the young girl took one object or another in her hands, and
held it up admiringly. She was dressed in the costume of the Roman
ladies, with a flowing tunic and a peplum ornamented with tassels of
emeralds; and blue silken bands confined her hair, which seemed almost
too luxuriant, since from time to time she raised a small hand to push
Herodias |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: why the elegance of life has left that region; why the Vauquer houses,
the Phellion and the Thuillier houses now swarm with tenants and
boarders, on the site of so many noble and religious buildings, and
why such mud and dirty trades and poverty should have fastened on a
hilly piece of ground, instead of spreading out upon the flat land
beyond the confines of the ancient city.
The angel whose beneficence once hovered above this quarter being
dead, usury, on the lowest scale, rushed in and took his place. To the
old judge, Popinot, succeeded Cerizet; and strange to say,--a fact
which it is well to study,--the effect produced, socially speaking,
was much the same. Popinot loaned money without interest, and was
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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 U. S. Project Trinity Report by Carl Maag and Steve Rohrer: ground zero. Several minutes later, the intensity there had increased
to greater than 7 R/h, and it continued to increase for several more
minutes. Gamma detectors 9,150 meters north of ground zero, however,
recorded no radiation above background levels. This indicated that
the cloud had passed over or near the 1,400-meter area and only
partially over the 9,150-meter area where the north shelter was
located. Subsequent ground surveys of this area found no gamma
intensities higher than 0.02 R/h (1).
Gamma radiation levels at and around ground zero were much higher than
in other onsite areas because of induced activity in the soil.
Twenty-four hours after the detonation, the gamma intensity at ground
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