| 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: although I have admitted that the strong are able. For there is a
difference between ability and strength; the former is given by knowledge
as well as by madness or rage, but strength comes from nature and a healthy
state of the body. And in like manner I say of confidence and courage,
that they are not the same; and I argue that the courageous are confident,
but not all the confident courageous. For confidence may be given to men
by art, and also, like ability, by madness and rage; but courage comes to
them from nature and the healthy state of the soul.
I said: You would admit, Protagoras, that some men live well and others
ill?
He assented.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Pagan and Christian Creeds by Edward Carpenter: the slaying of the Bull must have originated among some
pastoral people to whom the bull was the source of all life.
The Bull in heaven--the symbol of the triumphant Sungod--
and the earthly bull, sacrificed for the good of humanity
were one and the same; the god, in fact, SACRIFICED HIMSELF
OR HIS REPRESENTATIVE. And Mithra was the hero who first
won this conception of divinity for mankind--though of
course it is in essence quite similar to the conception put
forward by the Christian Church.
As illustrating the belief that the Baptism by Blood was
accompanied by a real regeneration of the devotee, Frazer
Pagan and Christian Creeds |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: business. But you can find plenty of briefless barristers always ready
to put their finger in the political pie. Massol, for instance, can
draw it up admirably. But you must not tell him that the idea came
from me."
"Oh! as for that," said Maxime, "I'll take it all on my own shoulders.
Perhaps in this form Rastignac may come round to the project."
"Yes, but take care you don't make an enemy of Vinet, who will think
you very impertinent to have an idea which ought, naturally, to have
come into the head of so great a parliamentary tactician as himself."
"Well, before long," said Maxime, rising, "I hope to bring the Vinets
and Rastignacs, and others like them, to heel. Where do you dine this
|
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 Adam Bede by George Eliot: last night; an' she's laid hold of Chad's Bess, as the girl's been
i' fits welly iver sin'."
"Well, Bessy Cranage is a hearty-looking lass; I daresay she'll
come round again, Joshua. Did anybody else go into fits?"
"No, sir, I canna say as they did. But there's no knowin' what'll
come, if we're t' have such preachin's as that a-goin' on ivery
week--there'll be no livin' i' th' village. For them Methodisses
make folks believe as if they take a mug o' drink extry, an' make
theirselves a bit comfortable, they'll have to go to hell for't as
sure as they're born. I'm not a tipplin' man nor a drunkard--
nobody can say it on me--but I like a extry quart at Easter or
Adam Bede |
