| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde: seen again. The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he
longed for his first little friend, and often spoke of him. "How I
would like to see him!" he used to say.
Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble. He could
not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched
the children at their games, and admired his garden. "I have many
beautiful flowers," he said; "but the children are the most
beautiful flowers of all."
One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing.
He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the
Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: "The distinction made in that instance was a truly noble
act, and one which displayed the king's goodness of heart to
great advantage."
"The king's, you say."
"The cardinal's, I mean. `This unhappy man,' said M.
Mazarin, `is destined to remain in prison forever.'"
"Why so?"
"Why, it seems that his crime is a lasting one, and,
consequently, his punishment ought to be so, too."
"Lasting?"
"No doubt of it, unless he is fortunate enough to catch the
Ten Years Later |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: God's honor.
Oh, if we were God-fearing in this matter, how often would the
knaves of officiales have to decree their papal and episcopal ban
in vain! How weak the Roman thunderbolts would become! How often
would many a one have to hold his tongue, to whom the world must
now give ear! How few preachers would be found in Christendom!
But it has gotten the upper hand: whatever they assert and in
whatever way, that must be right. Here no one fights for God's
Name and honor, and I hold that no greater or more frequent sin
is done in external works than under this head. It is a matter
so high that few understand it, and, besides, adorned with God's
|
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 Sportsman by Xenophon: [42] "The highest form that floated before Greek imagination was
Achilles," Hegel, "Lectures on the Philosophy of History" (Eng.
tr. p. 233); and for a beautiful elaboration of that idea, J. A.
Symonds, "Greek Poets," 2nd series, ch. ii.
Such, by dint of that paintstaking care derived from Cheiron, these
all proved themselves; of whom all good men yet still to-day are
lovers and all base men envious. So much so that if throughout the
length and breadth of Hellas misfortunes at any time befell city or
king, it was they who loosed the knot of them;[43] or if all Hellas
found herself confronted with the hosts of the Barbarians in strife
and battle, once again it was these who nerved the arms of Hellenes to
|
