| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: East Indies, we were driven by a violent storm to the north-west
of Van Diemen's Land. By an observation, we found ourselves in
the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes south. Twelve of our crew
were dead by immoderate labour and ill food; the rest were in a
very weak condition. On the 5th of November, which was the
beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy,
the seamen spied a rock within half a cable's length of the ship;
but the wind was so strong, that we were driven directly upon it,
and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom I was one,
having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get clear
of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about
Gulliver's Travels |
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: children to live in the Rue de la Montagne-Sainte-Genevieve, in rooms
quite unworthy of his name and rank'--well, we may live as we please--
'that he keeps his two children there, the Comte Clement d'Espard and
Vicomte Camille d'Espard, in a style of living quite unsuited to their
future prospects, their name and fortune; that he often wants money,
to such a point, that not long since the landlord, one Mariast, put in
an execution on the furniture in the rooms; that when this execution
was carried out in his presence, the Marquis d'Espard helped the
bailiff, whom he treated like a man of rank, paying him all the marks
of attention and respect which he would have shown to a person of
superior birth and dignity to himself.' "
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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 Sophist by Plato: STRANGER: Let me ask you to consider a further question.
THEAETETUS: What question?
STRANGER: When we speak of not-being, we speak, I suppose, not of
something opposed to being, but only different.
THEAETETUS: What do you mean?
STRANGER: When we speak of something as not great, does the expression
seem to you to imply what is little any more than what is equal?
THEAETETUS: Certainly not.
STRANGER: The negative particles, ou and me, when prefixed to words, do
not imply opposition, but only difference from the words, or more correctly
from the things represented by the words, which follow them.
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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 Prince Otto by Robert Louis Stevenson: needless to adduce my reasons; you are all ashamed at heart of this
projected treachery.'
The council waved like a sea. There were various outcries.
'You insult the Princess,' thundered Gondremark.
'I maintain my protest,' replied Gotthold.
At the height of this confusion the door was thrown open; an usher
announced, 'Gentlemen, the Prince!' and Otto, with his most
excellent bearing, entered the apartment. It was like oil upon the
troubled waters; every one settled instantly into his place, and
Griesengesang, to give himself a countenance, became absorbed in the
arrangement of his papers; but in their eagerness to dissemble, one
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