| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Contrast by Royall Tyler: to look grave;--"and her husband said"--
JONATHAN
Ay, what did her husband say? Something dang'd
cute, I reckon.
JESSAMY
"And her husband said, you have had your will all
your life-time, and would you have it after you are
dead, too?"
JONATHAN
Ho, ho, ho! There the old man was even with
her; he was up to the notch--ha, ha, ha!
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Hamlet by William Shakespeare: Pol. He will come straight:
Looke you lay home to him,
Tell him his prankes haue been too broad to beare with,
And that your Grace hath screen'd, and stoode betweene
Much heate, and him. Ile silence me e'ene heere:
Pray you be round with him
Ham. within. Mother, mother, mother
Qu. Ile warrant you, feare me not.
Withdraw, I heare him coming.
Enter Hamlet.
Ham. Now Mother, what's the matter?
Hamlet |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: Take these keies, and fetch more spices Nurse
Nur. They call for Dates and Quinces in the Pastrie.
Enter old Capulet.
Cap. Come, stir, stir, stir,
The second Cocke hath Crow'd,
The Curphew Bell hath rung, 'tis three a clocke:
Looke to the bakte meates, good Angelica,
Spare not for cost
Nur. Go you Cot-queane, go,
Get you to bed, faith youle be sicke to morrow
For this nights watching
Romeo and Juliet |
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 Gorgias by Plato: SOCRATES: But when the tyrant is rude and uneducated, he may be expected
to fear any one who is his superior in virtue, and will never be able to be
perfectly friendly with him.
CALLICLES: That is true.
SOCRATES: Neither will he be the friend of any one who is greatly his
inferior, for the tyrant will despise him, and will never seriously regard
him as a friend.
CALLICLES: That again is true.
SOCRATES: Then the only friend worth mentioning, whom the tyrant can have,
will be one who is of the same character, and has the same likes and
dislikes, and is at the same time willing to be subject and subservient to
|
