| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Apology by Plato: surely have witnessed against him, with which he concludes this part of his
defence, is more satisfactory.
Again, when Socrates argues that he must believe in the gods because he
believes in the sons of gods, we must remember that this is a refutation
not of the original indictment, which is consistent enough--'Socrates does
not receive the gods whom the city receives, and has other new divinities'
--but of the interpretation put upon the words by Meletus, who has affirmed
that he is a downright atheist. To this Socrates fairly answers, in
accordance with the ideas of the time, that a downright atheist cannot
believe in the sons of gods or in divine things. The notion that demons or
lesser divinities are the sons of gods is not to be regarded as ironical or
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Child of Storm by H. Rider Haggard: mimosa thorns, others had deep green leaves and bore a kind of plum with
an acid taste and a huge stone, and others silver-coloured leaves in
their season. A river, too, low at this time of the year, wound through
it, and in the scrub upon its banks were many guinea-fowl and other
birds. It was a pleasing, lonely place, with lots of game in it, that
came here in the winter to eat the grass, which was lacking on the
higher veld. Also it gave the idea of vastness, since wherever one
looked there was nothing to be seen except a sea of trees.
Well, we outspanned by the river, of which I forget the name, at a spot
that Saduko showed us, and set to work to cook our food, that consisted
of venison from a blue wildebeest, one of a herd of these wild-looking
Child of Storm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from House of Mirth by Edith Wharton: DIVORCEES were included, except those who had showed signs of
penitence by being re-married to the very wealthy. There was
nothing especially arduous in this round of relgious
obligations; but it stood for a fraction of that great bulk of
boredom which loomed across her path. And who could consent to be
bored on such a morning? Lily had slept well, and her bath had
filled her with a pleasant glow, which was becomingly reflected
in the clear curve of her cheek. No lines were visible this
morning, or else the glass was at a happier angle.
And the day was the accomplice of her mood: it was a day for
impulse and truancy. The light air seemed full of powdered gold;
|
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 Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: "You mean your signature is a forgery," he suggested. "Rochester
had a peculiar gift of penmanship."
Kent sprang up. "Do you accuse Philip Rochester of signing these
checks and inserting my name to them?"
"I do," calmly. "I am not familiar with your signature, Kent, but
that Rochester wrote the body of those four checks and put his own
signature at the bottom I will swear to in any court of law. To
make them valid he had to add your name."
"But, d-mn it, man!" Kent stared in bewilderment at his three
companions. "Rochester was honorable and straight-forward -"
"And addicted to drink," put in Harding. "But not a forger,"
The Red Seal |
