| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Treatise on Parents and Children by George Bernard Shaw: human being, are summed up in the right to live: that is, to have all
the conclusive arguments that prove that it would be better dead, that
it is a child of wrath, that the population is already excessive, that
the pains of life are greater than its pleasures, that its sacrifice
in a hospital or laboratory experiment might save millions of lives,
etc. etc. etc., put out of the question, and its existence accepted as
necessary and sacred, all theories to the contrary notwithstanding,
whether by Calvin or Schopenhauer or Pasteur or the nearest person
with a taste for infanticide. And this right to live includes, and in
fact is, the right to be what the child likes and can, to do what it
likes and can, to make what it likes and can, to think what it likes
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: and his heart evil, but because he had to earn his fare. And for a
time the walls of St Stephen's, with its towers and pinnacles,
contemplated in immobility and silence a cab that jingled. It
rolled too, however. But on the bridge there was a commotion.
Stevie suddenly proceeded to get down from the box. There were
shouts on the pavement, people ran forward, the driver pulled up,
whispering curses of indignation and astonishment. Winnie lowered
the window, and put her head out, white as a ghost. In the depths
of the cab, her mother was exclaiming, in tones of anguish: "Is
that boy hurt? Is that boy hurt?"
Stevie was not hurt, he had not even fallen, but excitement as
The Secret Agent |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: would gladly learn of you: What service do you pay the gods, so to
secure their friendship?
[76] Lit. "Nay, nought of the things you tell us is incredible,
but . . ."
Truly it is not a ruinous service, Socrates (he answered)--far from
it. I give them thanks, which is not costly. I make return to them of
all they give to me from time to time. I speak well of them, with all
the strength I have. And whenever I take their sacred names to
witness, I do not wittingly falsify my word.
Then God be praised (said Socrates), if being what you are, you have
such friends; the gods themselves, it would appear, delight in
The Symposium |
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 Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: afternoon breeze the irregularly jagged line of tree-tops stood
unchanging, as if traced by an unsteady hand on the clear blue of
the hot sky. In the space sheltered by the high palisades there
lingered the smell of decaying blossoms from the surrounding
forest, a taint of drying fish; with now and then a whiff of
acrid smoke from the cooking fires when it eddied down from under
the leafy boughs and clung lazily about the burnt-up grass.
As Babalatchi looked up at the flagstaff over-topping a group of
low trees in the middle of the courtyard, the tricolour flag of
the Netherlands stirred slightly for the first time since it had
been hoisted that morning on the arrival of the man-of-war boats.
Almayer's Folly |
