| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Poems of William Blake by William Blake: That wilful bruis'd its helpless form: but that he cherish'd it
With milk and oil I never knew, and therefore did I weep,
And I complaind in the mild air, because I fade away.
And lay me down in thy cold bed, and leave my shining lot.
Queen of the vales, the matron Clay answered: I heard thy sighs.
And all thy moans flew o'er my roof, but I have call'd them down:
Wilt thou O Queen enter my house, tis given thee to enter,
And to return: fear nothing, enter with thy virgin feet.
IV.
The eternal gates terrific porter lifted the northern bar:
Thel enter'd in & saw the secrets of the land unknown;
Poems of William Blake |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: service to the citizens than these wage-earning troops?[7] than whom,
it is likely, there will none be found more resolute to take the
lion's share of toil or peril, or do outpost duty, keeping watch and
ward while others sleep, brave mercenaries.
[7] The author is perhaps thinking of some personal experiences. He
works out his theory of a wage-earning militia for the protection
of the state in the "Cyropaedia." See esp. VII. v. 69 foll.
And what will be the effect on the neighbour states conterminous with
yours?[8] Will not this standing army lead them to desire peace beyond
all other things? In fact, a compact force like this, so organised,
will prove most potent to preserve the interests of their friends and
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