| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Protagoras by Plato: indicated by the absence of any allusion to the doctrine of reminiscence;
and also by the different attitude assumed towards the teaching and persons
of the Sophists in some of the later Dialogues. The Charmides, Laches,
Lysis, all touch on the question of the relation of knowledge to virtue,
and may be regarded, if not as preliminary studies or sketches of the more
important work, at any rate as closely connected with it. The Io and the
lesser Hippias contain discussions of the Poets, which offer a parallel to
the ironical criticism of Simonides, and are conceived in a similar spirit.
The affinity of the Protagoras to the Meno is more doubtful. For there,
although the same question is discussed, 'whether virtue can be taught,'
and the relation of Meno to the Sophists is much the same as that of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: manners of the good townsfolk indications of the desires that had
brought them there.
"What trick can I play them?" thought he.
At this moment the footman, so called--a farm-servant put into livery
--brought in the letters and papers, and among them a packet of proof,
which the journalist left for Bianchon; for Madame de la Baudraye, on
seeing the parcel, of which the form and string were obviously from
the printers, exclaimed:
"What, does literature pursue you even here?"
"Not literature," replied he, "but a review in which I am now
finishing a story to come out ten days hence. I have reached the stage
The Muse of the Department |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: afford to
give them time to see that he was absolutely right.
One of his favorite Scripture quotations was, "Wait on the Lord."
He had applied it to real estate and to people, with profitable
results.
But to human persons the sensation of being waited for is not
always agreeable. Sometimes, especially with the young, it
produces
a vague restlessness, a dumb resentment, which is increased by
the fact that one can hardly explain or justify it. Of this
John Weightman was not conscious. It lay beyond his horizon.
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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 Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft: All lesser thoughts were lost in the wish to see that carven face
which might set him on the track of the gods atop unknown Kadath.
At last, in the fearsome iciness of upper space, he came round
fully to the hidden side of Ngranek and saw in infinite gulfs
below him the lesser crags and sterile abysses of lava which marked
olden wrath of the Great Ones. There was unfolded, too, a vast
expanse of country to the south; but it was a desert land without
fair fields or cottage chimneys, and seemed to have no ending.
No trace of the sea was visible on this side, for Oriab is a great
island. Black caverns and odd crevices were still numerous on
the sheer vertical cliffs, but none of them was accessible to
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |
