| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pathology of Lying, Etc. by William and Mary Healy: Social stress also may be met by pathological lying, in the same
way that the individual who finds himself in a tight place may
attempt to get out of it by running away. We have already spoken
of the likeness of social and physical stress as showing when the
weak individual is brought to bay. That pathological lying does
not run an even course, but shows remarkable fluctuations with
powerful exacerbations, is undoubtedly to be explained by changes
of inner and outer stress.
Habit Formation. The influence of habit in causing chronicity
must always be definitely reckoned with. It is hardly necessary
to say more than a word on this subject. Even the individual, as
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from La Grande Breteche by Honore de Balzac: sum at Vendome, where everybody is thrifty, and where social habits
are restrained within the bounds of a simplicity worthy of all praise,
and the foundation perhaps of a form of true happiness which no
Parisian would care for.
"For some time past Monsieur de Merret had been satisfied to ask
Rosalie whether his wife was in bed; on the girl's replying always in
the affirmative, he at once went to his own room, with the good faith
that comes of habit and confidence. But this evening, on coming in, he
took it into his head to go to see Madame de Merret, to tell her of
his ill-luck, and perhaps to find consolation. During dinner he had
observed that his wife was very becomingly dressed; he reflected as he
La Grande Breteche |
