| 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: distinct, of our sensations, feelings, thoughts, actions, to ourselves,
which is called consciousness, or, when in excess, self-consciousness: (f)
of the distinction of the 'I' and 'Not I,' of ourselves and outward
objects. But when we attempt to gather up these elements in a single
system, we discover that the links by which we combine them are apt to be
mere words. We are in a country which has never been cleared or surveyed;
here and there only does a gleam of light come through the darkness of the
forest.
(2) These fragments, although they can never become science in the ordinary
sense of the word, are a real part of knowledge and may be of great value
in education. We may be able to add a good deal to them from our own
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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 Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: of her fortune, after paying our common debts. It was no business of
hers, as she told me, to pay for my follies. As I then had not enough
to live on and pay for my sons' education, I determined to educate
them myself, to make them gentlemen and men of feeling. By investing
my money in the funds I have been enabled to pay off my obligation
sooner than I had dared to hope, for I took advantage of the
opportunities afforded by the improvement in prices. If I had kept
four thousand francs a year for my boys and myself, I could only have
paid off twenty thousand crowns a year, and it would have taken almost
eighteen years to achieve my freedom. As it is, I have lately repaid
the whole of the eleven hundred thousand francs that were due. Thus I
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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 New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: and feel how small a thing it is to be a Prince."
Silas was moved at the sight of his emotion. He tried to murmur
some consolatory words, and burst into tears.
The Prince, touched by his obvious intention, came up to him and
took him by the hand.
"Command yourself," said he. "We have both much to learn, and we
shall both be better men for to-day's meeting."
Silas thanked him in silence with an affectionate look.
"Write me the address of Doctor Noel on this piece of paper,"
continued the Prince, leading him towards the table; "and let me
recommend you, when you are again in Paris, to avoid the society of
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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 The Memorabilia by Xenophon: knowledge of right action, but do not apply it, to be wise and self-
controlled?"--"Not a whit more," he answered, "than I consider them to
be unwise and intemperate.[5] Every one, I conceive, deliberately
chooses what, within the limits open to him, he considers most
conducive to his interest, and acts accordingly. I must hold therefore
that those who act against rule and crookedly[6] are neither wise nor
self-controlled.
[5] For the phrase "not a whit the more" see below, III. xii. 1;
"Econ." xii. 18. Al. "I should by no means choose to consider them
wise and self-controlled rather than foolish and intemperate."
[6] "Who cannot draw a straight line, ethically speaking."
The Memorabilia |
