| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: for me as I meet them in the streets. To-day I am like a despot,
yesterday I was literally a slave; formerly it was I who had to pay my
tribute[51] to the sovereign people, now it is I who am supported by
the state by means of general taxation.[52]
[49] "And police agents."
[50] Cf. "Mem." II. viii. 1.
[51] {phoros}, tributum. Al. "property-tax." Cf. "Econ." ii. 6.
[52] {telos}, vectigal. Sturz, "Lex. Xen." s.v. Cf. "Pol. Ath." i. 3.
And there is another thing. So long as I was rich, they threw in my
teeth as a reproach that I was friends with Socrates, but now that I
am become a beggar no one troubles his head two straws about the
The Symposium |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: "What do you mean?" asked Eugenie and the cure together.
"Don't I know about your cousin's return, and his marriage with
Mademoiselle d'Aubrion? A woman doesn't carry her wits in her pocket."
Eugenie blushed, and remained silent for a moment. From this day forth
she assumed the impassible countenance for which her father had been
so remarkable.
"Well, madame," she presently said, ironically, "no doubt I carry my
wits in my pocket, for I do not understand you. Speak, say what you
mean, before monsieur le cure; you know he is my director."
"Well, then, mademoiselle, here is what des Grassins writes me. Read
it."
Eugenie Grandet |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Oakdale Affair by Edgar Rice Burroughs: years waved a conciliatory hand. He tried to look at the
boy's face; but for the life of him he couldn't raise his
eyes above the dazzling wealth clutched in the fingers
of those two small, slim hands. From one dangled a
pearl necklace which alone might have ransomed, if
not a king, at least a lesser member of a royal family,
while diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds scintil-
lated in the flaring light of the fire. Nor was the fistful of
currency in the other hand to be sneezed at. There were
greenbacks, it is true; but there were also yellowbacks
with the reddish gold of large denominations. The Sky
The Oakdale Affair |
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 Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: breastpocket of his uniform. A moment later he was walk-
ing down the spiral stairway to the main floor of the castle.
In the guardroom the troopers of the Royal Horse who
were not on guard were stretched in slumber. Only a cor-
poral remained awake. As the man entered the guardroom
the corporal glanced up, and as his eyes fell upon the new-
comer, he sprang to his feet, saluting.
"Turn out the guard!" he cried. "Turn out the guard for
his majesty, the king!"
The sleeping soldiers, but half awake, scrambled to their
feet, their muscles reacting to the command that their brains
The Mad King |
