| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Personal Record by Joseph Conrad: ourselves; yet this little book is the result of a friendly
suggestion, and even of a little friendly pressure. I defended
myself with some spirit; but, with characteristic tenacity, the
friendly voice insisted, "You know, you really must."
It was not an argument, but I submitted at once. If one must! .
. .
You perceive the force of a word. He who wants to persuade
should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right
word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power
of sense. I don't say this by way of disparagement. It is
better for mankind to be impressionable than reflective. Nothing
A Personal Record |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: It were but necessary you were wak'd,
Lest, being suffer'd in that harmful slumber,
The mortal worm might make the sleep eternal;
And therefore do they cry, though you forbid,
That they will guard you, whether you will or no,
From such fell serpents as false Suffolk is,
With whose envenomed and fatal sting,
Your loving uncle, twenty times his worth,
They say, is shamefully bereft of life.
COMMONS.
[Within.] An answer from the king, my Lord of Salisbury!
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Padre Ignacio by Owen Wister: generally open soon to the one great key of love, while civilization
makes locks which that key cannot always fit at the first turn. And
coming to know this," said Padre Ignacio, fixing his eyes steadily upon
Gaston, "you will understand how great a privilege it is to help such
people, and how the sense of something accomplished--under God--should
bring Contentment with Renunciation."
"Yes," said Gaston Villere. Then, thinking of himself, "I can understand
it in a man like you."
"Do not speak of me at all!" exclaimed the Padre, almost passionately.
"But pray Heaven that you may find the thing yourself some day--
Contentment with Renunciation--and never let it go."
|
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 Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: and day by day but half her share had she eaten. The other half
had gone into the well-filled pouch.
"And she said: 'This is the end of the trail for Passuk; but your
trail, Charley, leads on and on, over the great Chilcoot, down to
Haines Mission and the sea. And it leads on and on, by the light
of many suns, over unknown lands and strange waters, and it is
full of years and honors and great glories. It leads you to the
lodges of many women, and good women, but it will never lead you
to a greater love than the love of Passuk.'
"And I knew the woman spoke true. But a madness came upon me, and
I threw the well-filled pouch from me, and swore that my trail had
|
