| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Roads of Destiny by O. Henry: Roy had given him. He had read it once, but hurriedly, and now, with
something like a twinkle in his eyes, he read it again. These were the
words he read:
Dear Tom:
I hear there's one of Uncle Sam's grayhounds going through you,
and that means that we'll catch him inside of a couple of hours,
maybe. Now, I want you to do something for me. We've got just
$2,200 in the bank, and the law requires that we have $20,000. I
let Ross and Fisher have $18,000 late yesterday afternoon to buy
up that Gibson bunch of cattle. They'll realise $40,000 in less
than thirty days on the transaction, but that won't make my cash
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad: peace. On another occasion he tried to show them
how to dance. The dust rose in clouds from the
sanded floor; he leaped straight up amongst the
deal tables, struck his heels together, squatted on
one heel in front of old Preble, shooting out the
other leg, uttered wild and exulting cries, jumped up
to whirl on one foot, snapping his fingers above his
head--and a strange carter who was having a drink
in there began to swear, and cleared out with his
half-pint in his hand into the bar. But when sud-
denly he sprang upon a table and continued to
Amy Foster |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare: While she takes all she can, not all she listeth. 564
What wax so frozen but dissolves with tempering,
And yields at last to every light impression?
Things out of hope are compass'd oft with venturing,
Chiefly in love, whose leave exceeds commission: 568
Affection faints not like a pale-fac'd coward,
But then woos best when most his choice is froward.
When he did frown, O! had she then gave over,
Such nectar from his lips she had not suck'd. 572
Foul words and frowns must not repel a lover;
What though the rose have prickles, yet 'tis pluck'd:
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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 Charmides by Plato: and his own flask and strigil, and other implements, on this principle of
every one doing and performing his own, and abstaining from what is not his
own?
I think not, he said.
But, I said, a temperate state will be a well-ordered state.
Of course, he replied.
Then temperance, I said, will not be doing one's own business; not at least
in this way, or doing things of this sort?
Clearly not.
Then, as I was just now saying, he who declared that temperance is a man
doing his own business had another and a hidden meaning; for I do not think
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