| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Crowd by Gustave le Bon: we see how far-reaching are the modifications they require in
order to lower them to the level of the intelligence of crowds.
These modifications are dependent on the nature of the crowds, or
of the race to which the crowds belong, but their tendency is
always belittling and in the direction of simplification. This
explains the fact that, from the social point of view, there is
in reality scarcely any such thing as a hierarchy of ideas--that
is to say, as ideas of greater or less elevation. However great
or true an idea may have been to begin with, it is deprived of
almost all that which constituted its elevation and its greatness
by the mere fact that it has come within the intellectual range
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: his breast, and spoke mildly a cunning speech -
'If you will fight for the fleece with my Colchians, then
many a man must die. But do you indeed expect to win from me
the fleece in fight? So few you are that if you be worsted I
can load your ship with your corpses. But if you will be
ruled by me, you will find it better far to choose the best
man among you, and let him fulfil the labours which I demand.
Then I will give him the golden fleece for a prize and a
glory to you all.'
So saying, he turned his horses and drove back in silence to
the town. And the Minuai sat silent with sorrow, and longed
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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 Art of Writing by Robert Louis Stevenson: successive phrases. The pleasure may be heightened by an
element of surprise, as, very grossly, in the common figure
of the antithesis, or, with much greater subtlety, where an
antithesis is first suggested and then deftly evaded. Each
phrase, besides, is to be comely in itself; and between the
implication and the evolution of the sentence there should be
a satisfying equipoise of sound; for nothing more often
disappoints the ear than a sentence solemnly and sonorously
prepared, and hastily and weakly finished. Nor should the
balance be too striking and exact, for the one rule is to be
infinitely various; to interest, to disappoint, to surprise,
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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 The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: so in my case: you might as well try to dig a knife into a block
of tufa.
Other stratagems become necessary. Here are two which were
successful: I recommend them to future Tarantula-hunters. I
insert into the burrow, as far down as I can, a stalk with a fleshy
spikelet, which the Spider can bite into. I move and turn and
twist my bait. The Tarantula, when touched by the intruding body,
contemplates self-defence and bites the spikelet. A slight
resistance informs my fingers that the animal has fallen into the
trap and seized the tip of the stalk in its fangs. I draw it to
me, slowly, carefully; the Spider hauls from below, planting her
The Life of the Spider |
