| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Criminal Sociology by Enrico Ferri: _custodia honesta_ (``as a first-class misdemeanant''), for
contraventions, involuntary offences, and crimes not inspired by
the baser passions.
Similarly, the enumeration contained in certain codes, as in
Spain, and in the old Mancini draft of a penal code in Italy, of
the main aggravating and extenuating circumstances common to all
crimes and offences, such as the antecedents of the accused,
venial or inexcusable passion, repentance and confession of a
crime, extent of injury or the like, is only an elementary and
empiric form of the biological and psychological classification of
criminals.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: it. I give them thanks, which is not costly. I make return to them of
all they give to me from time to time. I speak well of them, with all
the strength I have. And whenever I take their sacred names to
witness, I do not wittingly falsify my word.
Then God be praised (said Socrates), if being what you are, you have
such friends; the gods themselves, it would appear, delight in
nobleness of soul.[77]
[77] {kalokagathia}, "beautiful and gentle manhood."
Thus, in solemn sort, the theme was handled, thus gravely ended.
But now it was the jester's turn, and so they fell to asking him:[78]
What could he see to pride himself upon so vastly in the art of making
The Symposium |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne: smaller end. Hence it follows, by Hausen's calculations, that
its center of gravity is situated in the other hemisphere.
Hence it results that the great mass of air and water must have
been drawn away to the other face of our satellite during the
first days of its creation."
"Pure fancies!" cried the unknown.
"No! Pure theories! which are based upon the laws of mechanics,
and it seems difficult to me to refute them. I appeal then to
this meeting, and I put it to them whether life, such as exists
upon the earth, is possible on the surface of the moon?"
Three hundred thousand auditors at once applauded the proposition.
From the Earth to the Moon |
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 Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: their pious wish rises urgently to heaven, and implores a miracle; and if no
angel stoops for my deliverance, I see them grasp eagerly their lance and
sword. The gates are forced, the bolts are riven, the walls fall beneath their
conquering hands, and Egmont advances joyously, to hail the freedom of
the rising morn. How many well-known faces receive me with loud
acclaim! O Clara! wert thou a man, I should see thee here the very first,
and thank thee for that which it is galling to owe even to a king--liberty.
Scene III.--Clara's House
Clara (enters from her chamber with a lamp and a glass of water; she
places the glass upon the table and steps to the window).
Brackenburg, is it you? What noise was that? No one yet? No one! I will
Egmont |
