| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: in oracle concerning Lycurgus,[26] the great lawgiver of Lacedaemon,
than those concerning me. It is said that as he entered the temple the
god addressed him with the words: 'I am considering whether to call
thee god or man.' Me he likened not indeed to a god, but in
excellence[27] preferred me far beyond other men."
[25] L. Dindorf cf. Athen. v. 218 E; Hermesianax ap. Athen. xiii. 599
A; Liban. vol. iii. pp. 34, 35; Plat. "Apol." 21 A; Paus. i. 22.
8; Schol. ad Aristoph. "Clouds," 144; Grote, "H. G." viii. 567
foll.
[26] See Herod. i. 65:
{ekeis, o Lukoorge, emon pori piona neon,
The Apology |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: one glance into the past,--the recent past. Send your thoughts forward into
the future. Could ye live, would ye live, were he to perish? With him
expires the last breath of freedom. What was he not to you? For whose
sake did he expose himself to the direst perils? His blood flowed, his
wounds were healed for you alone. The mighty spirit, that upheld you all,
a dungeon now confines, while the horrors of secret murder are hovering
around. Perhaps he thinks of you--perhaps he hopes in you,--he who has
been accustomed only to grant favours to others and to fulfil their prayers.
Carpenter. Come, gossip.
Clara. I have neither the arms, nor the vigour of a man; but I have that
which ye all lack--courage and contempt of danger. O that my breath
Egmont |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: "It seems as if there was nothing she wouldn't undertake."
"Oh, I think she'll enjoy it!" Winterbourne declared.
And he desired more and more to make it a certainty that he was
to have the privilege of a tete-a-tete with the young lady,
who was still strolling along in front of them, softly vocalizing.
"You are not disposed, madam," he inquired, "to undertake it yourself?"
Daisy's mother looked at him an instant askance, and then walked
forward in silence. Then--"I guess she had better go alone,"
she said simply. Winterbourne observed to himself that this
was a very different type of maternity from that of the vigilant
matrons who massed themselves in the forefront of social
|
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 Market-Place by Harold Frederic: Now, for instance, if I'd come to London when you did,
and brought my money with me instead of buying your
concession with it----"
"Why, what good do you suppose you would have done?"
Thorpe interrupted him with good-natured brusqueness.
"You'd have had it taken from you in a fortnight! Why, man,
do you know what London is? You'd have had no more chance
here than a naked nigger in a swamp-full of alligators."
"You seem to have hit it off," the other objected.
"This is as fine a house as I was ever in."
"With me it's different," Thorpe replied, carelessly.
The Market-Place |
