| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Merry Men by Robert Louis Stevenson: to sympathise, and which I longed to share and lighten. 'Nature,'
I told her, 'was the voice of God, which men disobey at peril; and
if we were thus humbly drawn together, ay, even as by a miracle of
love, it must imply a divine fitness in our souls; we must be
made,' I said - 'made for one another. We should be mad rebels,' I
cried out - 'mad rebels against God, not to obey this instinct.'
She shook her head. 'You will go to-day,' she repeated, and then
with a gesture, and in a sudden, sharp note - 'no, not to-day,' she
cried, 'to-morrow!'
But at this sign of relenting, power came in upon me in a tide. I
stretched out my arms and called upon her name; and she leaped to
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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 Economist by Xenophon: more gladly learn about a living woman's virtues than that Zeuxis[1]
should show me the portrait of the loveliest woman he has painted.
[1] See "Mem." I. iv. 3.
Whereupon Ischomachus proceeded to narrate as follows: I must tell
you, Socrates, I one day noticed she was much enamelled with white
lead,[2] no doubt to enhance the natural whitenes of her skin; she had
rouged herself with alkanet[3] profusely, doubtless to give more
colour to her cheeks than truth would warrant; she was wearing high-
heeled shoes, in order to seem taller than she was by nature.[4]
[2] Cf. Aristoph. "Eccl." 878; ib. 929, {egkhousa mallon kai to son
psimuthion}: ib. 1072; "Plut." 1064.
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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 Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: do nothing.
By this general concurrence of endeavours, arts
of every kind have been so long cultivated, that all
the wants of man may be immediately supplied;
idleness can scarcely form a wish which she may not
gratify by the toil of others, or curiosity dream of a
toy, which the shops are not ready to afford her.
Happiness is enjoyed only in proportion as it is
known; and such is the state or folly of man, that
it is known only by experience of its contrary: we
who have long lived amidst the conveniences of a
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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 War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: His voice and face were eager. The men behind him stared
curiously. The artilleryman jumped down the bank into the
road and saluted.
"Gun destroyed last night, sir. Have been hiding. Trying
to rejoin battery, sir. You'll come in sight of the Martians, I
expect, about half a mile along this road."
"What the dickens are they like?" asked the lieutenant.
"Giants in armour, sir. Hundred feet high. Three legs and
a body like 'luminium, with a mighty great head in a hood,
sir."
"Get out!" said the lieutenant. "What confounded non-
War of the Worlds |
