| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: A particular result of great importance in respect to testing is
referred to as follows in the 'Encyclopaedia' article: 'The
importance of having results thus stated in absolute measure is
illustrated by the circumstance, that the writer has been able at
once to compare them, in the manner stated in a preceding
paragraph, with his own previous deductions from the testings of
the Atlantic cable during its manufacture in 1857, and with Weber's
measurements of the specific resistance of copper.' It has now
become universally adapted - first of all in England; twenty-two
years later by Germany, the country of its birth; and by France and
Italy, and all the other countries of Europe and America -
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche: threwest thou thy stone--but upon THYSELF will it recoil!"
Then was the dwarf silent; and it lasted long. The silence, however,
oppressed me; and to be thus in pairs, one is verily lonesomer than when
alone!
I ascended, I ascended, I dreamt, I thought,--but everything oppressed me.
A sick one did I resemble, whom bad torture wearieth, and a worse dream
reawakeneth out of his first sleep.--
But there is something in me which I call courage: it hath hitherto slain
for me every dejection. This courage at last bade me stand still and say:
"Dwarf! Thou! Or I!"--
For courage is the best slayer,--courage which ATTACKETH: for in every
Thus Spake Zarathustra |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Memories and Portraits by Robert Louis Stevenson: highly rational system of truantry, which cost me a great deal of
trouble to put in exercise - perhaps as much as would have taught
me Greek - and sent me forth into the world and the profession of
letters with the merest shadow of an education. But they say it is
always a good thing to have taken pains, and that success is its
own reward, whatever be its nature; so that, perhaps, even upon
this I should plume myself, that no one ever played the truant with
more deliberate care, and none ever had more certificates for less
education. One consequence, however, of my system is that I have
much less to say of Professor Blackie than I had of Professor
Kelland; and as he is still alive, and will long, I hope, continue
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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 Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: The hall, when they entered it, was brightly lighted up; the
fire was built high; and about the hearth the whole of the
servants, men and women, stood huddled together like a flock of
sheep. At the sight of Mr. Utterson, the housemaid broke into
hysterical whimpering; and the cook, crying out "Bless God! it's
Mr. Utterson," ran forward as if to take him in her arms.
"What, what? Are you all here?" said the lawyer peevishly.
"Very irregular, very unseemly; your master would be far from
pleased."
"They're all afraid," said Poole.
Blank silence followed, no one protesting; only the maid
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde |
