| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Theaetetus by Plato: facts which are partly true gather around this fiction and are naturally
described by the help of it. There is also a common type of the mind which
is derived from the comparison of many minds with one another and with our
own. The phenomena of which Psychology treats are familiar to us, but they
are for the most part indefinite; they relate to a something inside the
body, which seems also to overleap the limits of space. The operations of
this something, when isolated, cannot be analyzed by us or subjected to
observation and experiment. And there is another point to be considered.
The mind, when thinking, cannot survey that part of itself which is used in
thought. It can only be contemplated in the past, that is to say, in the
history of the individual or of the world. This is the scientific method
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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 Ruling Passion by Henry van Dyke: they judged by appearances; and their judgment was utterly hostile
to Pichou.
They decided that he was a proud dog, a fierce dog, a bad dog, a
fighter. He must do one of two things: stay at home in the yard of
the Honourable H. B. Company, which is a thing that no self-
respecting dog would do in the summer-time, when cod-fish heads are
strewn along the beach; or fight his way from one end of the village
to the other, which Pichou promptly did, leaving enemies behind
every fence. Huskies never forget a grudge. They are malignant to
the core. Hatred is the wine of cowardly hearts. This is as true
of dogs as it is of men.
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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 Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: minute and took to his heels and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
Barney's an awful fraud, Mrs. Gerald."
But Mrs. Gerald had no time just then to give heed to Barney's misdoings.
Seizing a wrap from the hall, she ordered Rudolph into the house and to bed,
as quickly as he could be gotten there, sent Philip to Rudolph's Mother with
the word that the children were safe, and then started off in the wagonette to
bring Mabel and Tattine home.
"Mamma," said Tattine, snuggling her wet little self close to her Mother's
side in the carriage, "Rudolph was just splendid, the way he hauled Barnev and
us and the cart out of the water, but Mamma, I am done with Barney now too.
He's not to be trusted either."
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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 Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: asked, laughingly.
Eugene went back to the Maison Vauquer, never doubting but that
he should leave it for good on the morrow; and on the way he fell
to dreaming the bright dreams of youth, when the cup of happiness
has left its sweetness on the lips.
"Well?" cried Goriot, as Rastignac passed by his door.
"Yes," said Eugene; "I will tell you everything to-morrow."
"Everything, will you not?" cried the old man. "Go to bed. To-
morrow our happy life will begin."
Next day, Goriot and Rastignac were ready to leave the lodging-
house, and only awaited the good pleasure of a porter to move out
Father Goriot |
