| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: misunderstood them; for they imagined that 'Know thyself!' was a piece of
advice which the god gave, and not his salutation of the worshippers at
their first coming in; and they dedicated their own inscription under the
idea that they too would give equally useful pieces of advice. Shall I
tell you, Socrates, why I say all this? My object is to leave the previous
discussion (in which I know not whether you or I are more right, but, at
any rate, no clear result was attained), and to raise a new one in which I
will attempt to prove, if you deny, that temperance is self-knowledge.
Yes, I said, Critias; but you come to me as though I professed to know
about the questions which I ask, and as though I could, if I only would,
agree with you. Whereas the fact is that I enquire with you into the truth
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: "Well, then, here's a cheaper proposition. Algy Vanderhoof wants
me to
join him on his yacht with--well, with a little party--to cruise
in
the West Indies. Would you prefer that?"
"Certainly not! The Vanderhoof set is wild and godless--I do not
wish to
see you keeping company with fools who walk in the broad and easy
way that
leads to perdition."
"It is rather a hard choice," said the young man, with a short
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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 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: neither could I question them.
The nets were hauled in. They were a large kind of "chaluts," like those
on the Normandy coasts, great pockets that the waves and a chain fixed
in the smaller meshes kept open. These pockets, drawn by iron poles,
swept through the water, and gathered in everything in their way.
That day they brought up curious specimens from those productive coasts.
I reckoned that the haul had brought in more than nine hundredweight of fish.
It was a fine haul, but not to be wondered at. Indeed, the nets are let
down for several hours, and enclose in their meshes an infinite variety.
We had no lack of excellent food, and the rapidity of the Nautilus
and the attraction of the electric light could always renew our supply.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
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 A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: have the shadow, and much good may it do you."
"Now that it's all arranged so satisfactorily," said Maskull, with a
hard smile, "permit me to say that I don't desire any society at all
at present.... You take too much for granted, Krag. You have played
the false friend once already.... I presume I'm a free agent?"
"To be a free man, one must have a universe of one's own," said Krag,
with a jeering look. "What do you say, Gangnet - is this a free
world?"
"Freedom from pain and ugliness should be every man's privilege,"
returned Gangnet tranquilly. "Maskull is quite within his rights,
and if you'll engage to leave him I'll do the same."
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