| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Door in the Wall, et. al. by H. G. Wells: manager, still sitting on the floor.
He looked at the still quivering figure.
"It's not a nice death to die, apparently--but it is quick."
The official was still staring at the body. He was a man of
slow apprehension.
There was a pause.
The scientific manager got up on his feet rather awkwardly.
He ran his fingers along his collar thoughtfully, and moved his
head to and fro several times.
"Poor Holroyd! I see now." Then almost mechanically he went
towards the switch in the shadow and turned the current into the
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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 Economist by Xenophon: passion.
To these remarks Ischomachus replied: You jest, Socrates; but still I
hold to my belief: that man is fond of bricks and mortar who no sooner
has built one house than he must needs sell it and proceed to build
another.
To be sure, Ischomachus (I answered), and for my part I assure you,
upon oath, I, Socrates, do verily and indeed believe[42] you that all
men by nature love (or hold they ought to love) those things
wherebysoever they believe they will be benefited.
[32] Reading {e men pisteuein soi phusei (nomizein) philein tauta
pantas . . .}; and for the "belief" propounded with so much
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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 Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: happen to be forgot, and all that statesmen had wrote or caused to be
written, upon the strong or the weak sides of courts and kingdoms, should
they be forgot also--and Slawkenbergius only left--there would be enough in
him in all conscience, he would say, to set the world a-going again. A
treasure therefore was he indeed! an institute of all that was necessary to
be known of noses, and every thing else--at matin, noon, and vespers was
Hafen Slawkenbergius his recreation and delight: 'twas for ever in his
hands--you would have sworn, Sir, it had been a canon's prayer-book--so
worn, so glazed, so contrited and attrited was it with fingers and with
thumbs in all its parts, from one end even unto the other.
I am not such a bigot to Slawkenbergius as my father;--there is a fund in
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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 Hamlet by William Shakespeare: You must not put another scandall on him,
That hee is open to Incontinencie;
That's not my meaning: but breath his faults so quaintly,
That they may seeme the taints of liberty;
The flash and out-breake of a fiery minde,
A sauagenes in vnreclaim'd bloud of generall assault
Reynol. But my good Lord
Polon. Wherefore should you doe this?
Reynol. I my Lord, I would know that
Polon. Marry Sir, heere's my drift,
And I belieue it is a fetch of warrant:
Hamlet |
