| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: SOCRATES: That ignorance is bad then, it would appear, which is of the
best and does not know what is best?
ALCIBIADES: So I think, at least.
SOCRATES: And both to the person who is ignorant and everybody else?
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: Let us take another case. Suppose that you were suddenly to get
into your head that it would be a good thing to kill Pericles, your kinsman
and guardian, and were to seize a sword and, going to the doors of his
house, were to enquire if he were at home, meaning to slay only him and no
one else:--the servants reply, 'Yes': (Mind, I do not mean that you would
really do such a thing; but there is nothing, you think, to prevent a man
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: the mules, which had been discovered in the hills a few miles off, and were
expected to arrive in the evening; and the white men had gone out to see
what game they could bring down with their guns to flavour the mealie pots,
or to reconnoitre the country; though all native habitations had been
destroyed within a radius of thirty miles, and the land was as bare of
black men as a child's hand of hair; and even the beasts seemed to have
vanished.
In the shade of the tent, formed of the canvas across two posts, lay three
white men, whose work it was to watch the pots and guard the camp. They
were all three Colonial Englishmen, and lay on the ground on their
stomachs, passing the time by carrying on a desultory conversation, or
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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 Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll: A flashing light - a fleeting shade -
Beginning, end, and middle
Of all that human art hath made
Or wit devised! Go, seek HER aid,
If you would read my riddle!
FAME'S PENNY-TRUMPET
[Affectionately dedicated to all "original researchers" who pant
for "endowment."]
BLOW, blow your trumpets till they crack,
Ye little men of little souls!
And bid them huddle at your back -
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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 Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: on the bank with Grossetete's children. Veronique became alarmed lest
he should meet with some accident. Not listening to remonstrance, she
ran down from the kiosk, and jumping into a boat, began to row toward
her son. This little incident caused a general departure. Monsieur
Grossetete proposed that they should all follow her and walk on the
beautiful shore of the lake, along the curves of the mountainous
bluffs. On landing there Madame Graslin saw her son in the arms of a
woman in deep mourning. Judging by the shape of her bonnet and the
style of her clothes, the woman was a foreigner. Veronique was
startled, and called to her son, who presently came toward her.
"Who is that woman?" she asked the children round about her; "and why
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