| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King James Bible: Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their
inheritance within the inheritance of them.
JOS 19:10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun
according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was
unto Sarid:
JOS 19:11 And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and
reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam;
JOS 19:12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the
border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to
Japhia,
JOS 19:13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher,
King James Bible |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Hidden Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac: cold eyes and stupid criticisms of fools? Ah, love is a mystery! its
life is in the depths of the soul; it dies when a man says, even to
his friend, Here is she whom I love."
The old man seemed to renew his youth; his eyes had the brilliancy and
fire of life, his pale cheeks blushed a vivid red, his hands trembled.
Porbus, amazed by the passionate violence with which he uttered these
words, knew not how to answer a feeling so novel and yet so profound.
Was the old man under the thraldom of an artist's fancy? Or did these
ideas flow from the unspeakable fanaticism produced at times in every
mind by the long gestation of a noble work? Was it possible to bargain
with this strange and whimsical being?
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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 Crito by Plato: you have any right to strike or revile or do any other evil to your father
or your master, if you had one, because you have been struck or reviled by
him, or received some other evil at his hands?--you would not say this?
And because we think right to destroy you, do you think that you have any
right to destroy us in return, and your country as far as in you lies?
Will you, O professor of true virtue, pretend that you are justified in
this? Has a philosopher like you failed to discover that our country is
more to be valued and higher and holier far than mother or father or any
ancestor, and more to be regarded in the eyes of the gods and of men of
understanding? also to be soothed, and gently and reverently entreated when
angry, even more than a father, and either to be persuaded, or if not
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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 Economist by Xenophon: whether I have sound knowledge also about threshing.
Isch. Well, I suppose you are aware of this much: corn is threshed by
beasts of burthen?[7]
[7] Holden cf. Dr. Davy, "Notes and Observations on the Ionian
Islands." "The grain is beaten out, commonly in the harvest field,
by men, horses, or mules, on a threshing-floor prepared extempore
for the purpose, where the ground is firm and dry, and the chaff
is separated by winnowing."--Wilkinson, "Ancient Egyptians," ii.
41 foll.
Soc. Yes, I am aware of that much, and beast of burthen is a general
name including oxen, horses, mules, and so forth.[8]
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