| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: "Me stole your money!" said Jem, angrily. "I'll pitch this can
at your eye if you talk o' _my_ stealing your money."
"Come, come, Master Marner," said the landlord, now rising
resolutely, and seizing Marner by the shoulder, "if you've got any
information to lay, speak it out sensible, and show as you're in
your right mind, if you expect anybody to listen to you. You're as
wet as a drownded rat. Sit down and dry yourself, and speak
straight forrard."
"Ah, to be sure, man," said the farrier, who began to feel that he
had not been quite on a par with himself and the occasion. "Let's
have no more staring and screaming, else we'll have you strapped for
Silas Marner |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: friends, "but men are everywhere. I shall begin my work near my
friends, so that if I meet with misfortune I can come to the Forest
for counsel or help."
With that he gave them all a loving look and turned away. There was
no need to say good by, by for him the sweet, wild life of the Forest
was over. He went forth bravely to meet his doom--the doom of the
race of man--the necessity to worry and work.
But Ak, who knew the boy's heart, was merciful and guided his steps.
Coming through Burzee to its eastern edge Claus reached the Laughing
Valley of Hohaho. On each side were rolling green hills, and a brook
wandered midway between them to wind afar off beyond the valley. At
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells: found half-a-dozen cartridges in his pocket.
"Take him," said I, standing up again and pointing with the whip;
"take him, and carry him out and cast him into the sea."
They came forward, evidently still afraid of Montgomery,
but still more afraid of my cracking red whip-lash; and after
some fumbling and hesitation, some whip-cracking and shouting,
they lifted him gingerly, carried him down to the beach, and went
splashing into the dazzling welter of the sea.
"On!" said I, "on! Carry him far."
They went in up to their armpits and stood regarding me.
"Let go," said I; and the body of Montgomery vanished with a splash.
The Island of Doctor Moreau |
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: (2) Socrates makes the singular remark, that he is himself the only true
politician of his age. In other passages, especially in the Apology, he
disclaims being a politician at all. There he is convinced that he or any
other good man who attempted to resist the popular will would be put to
death before he had done any good to himself or others. Here he
anticipates such a fate for himself, from the fact that he is 'the only man
of the present day who performs his public duties at all.' The two points
of view are not really inconsistent, but the difference between them is
worth noticing: Socrates is and is not a public man. Not in the ordinary
sense, like Alcibiades or Pericles, but in a higher one; and this will
sooner or later entail the same consequences on him. He cannot be a
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