| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: judgment of Augustus, nor the extreme caution or
closeness of Tiberius. These properties, of arts or
policy, and dissimulation or closeness, are indeed
habits and faculties several, and to be distin-
guished. For if a man have that penetration of
judgment, as he can discern what things are to
be laid open, and what to be secreted, and what to
be showed at half lights, and to whom and when
(which indeed are arts of state, and arts of life, as
Tacitus well calleth them), to him, a habit of dis-
simulation is a hinderance and a poorness. But if
Essays of Francis Bacon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Criminal Sociology by Enrico Ferri: scientific inquiries into alcoholism as a direct and manifest
cause of crime and suicide.
I wrote as early as 1881 that alcoholism, prior to its becoming a
cause, is the effect of wretched social conditions in the poorer
classes; and that to the one-sided simplicity of economic causes
it is necessary to add certain bio-psychical conditions and
conditions of physical environment, which go far to determine the
geographical distribution of spirit-alcoholism (chronic and more
serious, in northern countries and provinces) and wine-alcoholism
(acute and less deep-seated, in the countries and provinces of the
south).
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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 The Research Magnificent by H. G. Wells: rapidity, while Benham remonstrated with the kickers. Benham's
tallness, his very Gentile face, his good clothes, and an air of
tense authority about him had its effect, and the kickers shuffled
off with remarks that were partly apologies. But Benham's friend
revolted. This was no business of theirs.
Benham went on unaccompanied towards the glare of the burning
houses.
For a time he watched. Black figures moved between him and the
glare, and he tried to find out the exact nature of the conflict by
enquiries in clumsy Russian. He was told that the Jews had insulted
a religious procession, that a Jew had spat at an ikon, that the
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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 Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde: winter, also, he was extremely lonely, as the Miller never came to
see him then.
"'There is no good in my going to see little Hans as long as the
snow lasts,' the Miller used to say to his wife, 'for when people
are in trouble they should be left alone, and not be bothered by
visitors. That at least is my idea about friendship, and I am sure
I am right. So I shall wait till the spring comes, and then I
shall pay him a visit, and he will be able to give me a large
basket of primroses and that will make him so happy.'
"'You are certainly very thoughtful about others,' answered the
Wife, as she sat in her comfortable armchair by the big pinewood
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