| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Critias by Plato: island, at the temple of Poseidon, whither the kings were gathered together
every fifth and every sixth year alternately, thus giving equal honour to
the odd and to the even number. And when they were gathered together they
consulted about their common interests, and enquired if any one had
transgressed in anything, and passed judgment, and before they passed
judgment they gave their pledges to one another on this wise:--There were
bulls who had the range of the temple of Poseidon; and the ten kings, being
left alone in the temple, after they had offered prayers to the god that
they might capture the victim which was acceptable to him, hunted the
bulls, without weapons, but with staves and nooses; and the bull which they
caught they led up to the pillar and cut its throat over the top of it so
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: gently but firmly from him.
"Now, see here," argued Jimmy, trying to get free from his
strong-minded spouse, "you know perfectly well that that
washerwoman isn't going to let us have that baby."
"Nonsense," called Zoie over her shoulder, while she scribbled a
hurried note to the washerwoman. "If she won't let us have it
'for keeps,' I'll just 'rent it.' "
"Good Lord!" exclaimed Jimmy in genuine horror. "Warm, fresh,
palpitating babies rented as you would rent a gas stove!"
"That's all a pose," declared Aggie, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"You think babies 'little red worms,' you've said so."
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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 Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: really seen Fifth Avenue between eleven and one, when the real
people come out. My views of it have been at nine A.M. when the
office-workers are going to work, and at five- thirty when they
are going home. I will now cease to observe the proletariat and
mingle with the predatory. I'll probably go in for those tiffin
things at the Plaza. If I do, I'll never be the same woman
again."
Whereupon she paused with dramatic effect.
To all of which T. A. Buck had replied:
"Go as far as you like. Take fencing lessons, if you want to,
or Sanskrit. You've been a queen bee for so many years that I
Emma McChesney & Co. |
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 Dreams by Olive Schreiner: another, and he to another. No man kept the stone he found. And at times
they gathered in great company about when a large stone was found, and
raised a great shout so that the sky rang; then they worked on again.
And I asked God what they did with the stones they found at last. Then God
touched my eyes again to make them stronger; and I looked, and at my very
feet was a mighty crown. The light streamed out from it.
God said, "Each stone as they find it is set here."
And the crown was wrought according to a marvellous pattern; one pattern
ran through all, yet each part was different.
I said to God, "How does each man know where to set his stone, so that the
pattern is worked out?"
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