| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: them," he said sympathetically, as he put the hat down.
"My friend," said Bonaparte, holding out his hand, "I forgive you; do not
be disturbed. Whatever the consequences, I forgive you. I know, I
believe, it was with no ill-intent that you allowed me to go out. Give me
your hand. I have no ill-feeling; none!"
"You are very kind," said the German, taking the extended hand, and feeling
suddenly convinced that he was receiving magnanimous forgiveness for some
great injury, "you are very kind."
"Don't mention it," said Bonaparte.
He knocked out the crown of his caved-in old hat, placed it on the table
before him, leaned his elbows on the table and his face in his hands, and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: Tam citus erat, quam erat ventus; which, unless I have forgot my Latin, is,
that it was as swift as the wind itself.
But pray, Dr. Slop, quoth my father, interrupting my uncle (tho' not
without begging pardon for it at the same time) upon what principles was
this self-same chariot set a-going?--Upon very pretty principles to be
sure, replied Dr. Slop:--And I have often wondered, continued he, evading
the question, why none of our gentry, who live upon large plains like this
of ours,--(especially they whose wives are not past child-bearing) attempt
nothing of this kind; for it would not only be infinitely expeditious upon
sudden calls, to which the sex is subject,--if the wind only served,--but
would be excellent good husbandry to make use of the winds, which cost
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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 The Case of the Golden Bullet by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: Professor's left breast. There were scarcely three or four drops
of blood visible. The hemorrhage had been internal.
"He must have died at once, without suffering," said the physician.
"He killed himself - he killed himself," murmured Johann, as if
bewildered.
"It's strange that he should have found time to lay down the
revolver before he died," remarked Horn. Johann put out his hand
and raised the weapon before Horn could prevent him. "Leave that
pistol where it was," commanded the commissioner. "We have to look
into this matter more closely."
The doctor turned quickly. "You think it was a murder?" he
|
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 The Republic by Plato: developes the sense of order and the faculty of construction, and enables
the mind to grasp under simple formulae the quantitative differences of
physical phenomena. But while acknowledging their value in education, he
sees also that they have no connexion with our higher moral and
intellectual ideas. In the attempt which Plato makes to connect them, we
easily trace the influences of ancient Pythagorean notions. There is no
reason to suppose that he is speaking of the ideal numbers; but he is
describing numbers which are pure abstractions, to which he assigns a real
and separate existence, which, as 'the teachers of the art' (meaning
probably the Pythagoreans) would have affirmed, repel all attempts at
subdivision, and in which unity and every other number are conceived of as
The Republic |
