| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo: them. He bent over the seemingly lifeless form, his fingers on
the tiny wrist, his ear to the heart.
"Well, sir?" Jim faltered, for he had caught the puzzled look in
the doctor's eyes as his deft hand pressed the cruelly wounded
head.
"I can't tell just yet," said the doctor. "She must be taken
away."
"Where can we take her?" asked Jim, a look of terror in his
great, troubled eyes.
"The parsonage is the nearest house," said the doctor. "I am
sure the pastor will be glad to have her there until we can find
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Philebus by Plato: pain.
PROTARCHUS: Once more, Socrates, I must ask what you mean.
SOCRATES: My meaning is certainly not obvious, and I will endeavour to be
plainer. I do not mean by beauty of form such beauty as that of animals or
pictures, which the many would suppose to be my meaning; but, says the
argument, understand me to mean straight lines and circles, and the plane
or solid figures which are formed out of them by turning-lathes and rulers
and measurers of angles; for these I affirm to be not only relatively
beautiful, like other things, but they are eternally and absolutely
beautiful, and they have peculiar pleasures, quite unlike the pleasures of
scratching. And there are colours which are of the same character, and
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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 Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: taneously drove his blade into the tawny hide behind the
shoulder. With a roar of pain Numa wheeled again, the per-
sonification of bestial rage. Now indeed would he exterminate
this presumptuous man-thing who dared even to think that he
could thwart the king of beasts in his desires. But as he
wheeled, his intended quarry wheeled with him, brown fingers
locked in the heavy mane on the powerful neck and again the
blade struck deep into the lion's side.
Then it was that Numa went mad with hate and pain and
at the same instant the ape-man leaped full upon his back.
Easily before had Tarzan locked his legs beneath the belly of
Tarzan the Untamed |
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 Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles: My tomb predestined for me by my sire
And mother, while they lived, that I may die
Slain as they sought to slay me, when alive.
This much I know full surely, nor disease
Shall end my days, nor any common chance;
For I had ne'er been snatched from death, unless
I was predestined to some awful doom.
So be it. I reck not how Fate deals with me
But my unhappy children--for my sons
Be not concerned, O Creon, they are men,
And for themselves, where'er they be, can fend.
Oedipus Trilogy |
