| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx: and agriculture, steam-navigation, railways, electric telegraphs,
clearing of whole continents for cultivation, canalisation of
rivers, whole populations conjured out of the ground -- what
earlier century had even a presentiment that such productive
forces slumbered in the lap of social labour?
We see then: the means of production and of exchange, on whose
foundation the bourgeoisie built itself up, were generated in
feudal society. At a certain stage in the development of these
means of production and of exchange, the conditions under which
feudal society produced and exchanged, the feudal organisation of
agriculture and manufacturing industry, in one word, the feudal
The Communist Manifesto |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Stories From the Old Attic by Robert Harris: "Don't I get anything for my wisdom?" demanded the youth.
"You have already received something much better than money,"
said the wise man.
The Man Who Believed in Miracles
Once upon a time a traveler arrived in a land quite like our
own, full of modern technology like cars and computers and whistling
teapots, but with these two differences: there were no television
sets and no airplanes. In fact, nothing at all had ever been seen
in the sky, not even a bird, and the only movies the people ever saw
were in the theaters.
The traveler stayed for about a month on the eastern shore where
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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 The Europeans by Henry James: Felix was very sure, at least, that Mr. Wentworth had not
adopted his ingenious device for stimulating the young man's
aesthetic consciousness. "Doubtless he supposes," he said
to himself, after the conversation that has been narrated,
"that I desire, out of fraternal benevolence, to procure
for Eugenia the amusement of a flirtation--or, as he probably
calls it, an intrigue--with the too susceptible Clifford.
It must be admitted--and I have noticed it before--that nothing
exceeds the license occasionally taken by the imagination
of very rigid people." Felix, on his own side, had of course
said nothing to Clifford; but he had observed to Eugenia
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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 Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: Seeing his rash attempt, how soon he dare,
Though but a boy, with his great worth compare.
XXII
He dares not only, but he strives and proves,
Where chastisement were fit there wins he praise:
One counsels him, his speech him forward moves;
Another fool approveth all he says:
If Godfrey favor him more than behoves,
Why then he wrongeth thee an hundred ways;
Nor let thy state so far disgraced be,
Now what thou art and canst, let Godfrey see.
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