| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: ignorance, disorderliness, rascality--poverty acting as a stronger
incentive to base conduct, not to speak of lack of education and
ignorance, traceable to the lack of means which afflicts the average
of mankind.[14]
[13] Or, "these inferiors," "these good-for-nothings."
[14] Or, "some of these folk." The passage is corrupt.
The objection may be raised that it was a mistake to allow the
universal right of speech[15] and a seat in council. These should have
been reserved for the cleverest, the flower of the community. But
here, again, it will be found that they are acting with wise
deliberation in granting to[16] even the baser sort the right of
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll: And the clothes he had bought for the trip.
He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed,
With his name painted clearly on each:
But, since he omitted to mention the fact,
They were all left behind on the beach.
The loss of his clothes hardly mattered, because
He had seven coats on when he came,
With three pairs of boots--but the worst of it was,
He had wholly forgotten his name.
He would answer to "Hi!" or to any loud cry,
Such as "Fry me!" or "Fritter my wig!"
The Hunting of the Snark |
