| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: believe, she composed.
MENEXENUS: And can you remember what Aspasia said?
SOCRATES: I ought to be able, for she taught me, and she was ready to
strike me because I was always forgetting.
MENEXENUS: Then why will you not rehearse what she said?
SOCRATES: Because I am afraid that my mistress may be angry with me if I
publish her speech.
MENEXENUS: Nay, Socrates, let us have the speech, whether Aspasia's or any
one else's, no matter. I hope that you will oblige me.
SOCRATES: But I am afraid that you will laugh at me if I continue the
games of youth in old age.
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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 Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy: planting, and could not help saying to himself as he walked, that
this engagement of his was a very unpromising business. Her
outing to-day had not improved it. A woman who could go to
Hintock House and be friendly with its mistress, enter into the
views of its mistress, talk like her, and dress not much unlike
her, why, she would hardly be contented with him, a yeoman, now
immersed in tree-planting, even though he planted them well. "And
yet she's a true-hearted girl," he said, thinking of her words
about Hintock. "I must bring matters to a point, and there's an
end of it."
When he reached the plantation he found that Marty had come back,
The Woodlanders |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: experiment of kindness in my treatment of my thoats. First I
taught them that they could not unseat me, and even rapped
them sharply between the ears to impress upon them my
authority and mastery. Then, by degrees, I won their
confidence in much the same manner as I had adopted countless
times with my many mundane mounts. I was ever a good hand
with animals, and by inclination, as well as because
it brought more lasting and satisfactory results, I was
always kind and humane in my dealings with the lower orders.
I could take a human life, if necessary, with far less compunction
than that of a poor, unreasoning, irresponsible brute.
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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 Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: screen, forming the quarter-deck into a distinct compartment;
the pendant was also hoisted at the mainmast, and a large
ensign flag was displayed over the stern; and lastly, the
ship's companion, or top of the staircase, was covered with
the FLAG PROPER of the Lighthouse Service, on which the Bible
was laid. A particular toll of the bell called all hands to
the quarter-deck, when the writer read a chapter of the Bible,
and, the whole ship's company being uncovered, he also read
the impressive prayer composed by the Reverend Dr. Brunton,
one of the ministers of Edinburgh.
Upon concluding this service, which was attended with
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