| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: condescend to constitutional control? And that, too, a king who bore
himself towards political opponents with a paternal mildness.[5] If he
rebuked them sharply for their misdemeanours, he none the less
honoured their high endeavours, and proved himself a present help to
them in time of trouble.[6] No citizen could be his personal foe; of
that he was assured. His desire was to commend them one and all alike,
counting the common salvation of all a gain, and reckoning it as a
loss if even a mean man perished. For thus he reasoned, nor made a
secret of the conclusion he had come to: so long as her citizens
continued tranquilly adherent to the laws the happiness of Sparta was
secure.[7] And for the rest Sparta would once again be strong on that
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Danny's Own Story by Don Marquis: hadn't really agreed to nothing but signing the
pledge. But nary a cuss. He jest says: "Now,
you get that ladder."
They got it, and he clumb up into the kitchen,
dripping and shivering.
"You went and baptized me in that water?"
he asts the preacher. The preacher says he has.
"Then," says Hank, "you done a low-down trick
on me. You knowed I has made my brags I never
jined no church nor never would jine. You knowed
I was proud of that. You knowed that it was my
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Aspern Papers by Henry James: to approach her. Besides, a big house here, and especially
in this quartier perdu, proves nothing at all:
it is perfectly compatible with a state of penury.
Dilapidated old palazzi, if you will go out of the way for them,
are to be had for five shillings a year. And as for the people
who live in them--no, until you have explored Venice socially as much
as I have you can form no idea of their domestic desolation.
They live on nothing, for they have nothing to live on."
The other idea that had come into my head was connected
with a high blank wall which appeared to confine an expanse
of ground on one side of the house. Blank I call it,
|
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 Animal Farm by George Orwell: The men gave a shout of triumph. They saw, as they imagined, their enemies
in flight, and they rushed after them in disorder. This was just what
Snowball had intended. As soon as they were well inside the yard, the
three horses, the three cows, and the rest of the pigs, who had been lying
in ambush in the cowshed, suddenly emerged in their rear, cutting them
off. Snowball now gave the signal for the charge. He himself dashed
straight for Jones. Jones saw him coming, raised his gun and fired. The
pellets scored bloody streaks along Snowball's back, and a sheep dropped
dead. Without halting for an instant, Snowball flung his fifteen stone
against Jones's legs. Jones was hurled into a pile of dung and his gun
flew out of his hands. But the most terrifying spectacle of all was Boxer,
Animal Farm |
