| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Adam Bede by George Eliot: as that brings with her 'airs from heaven' that the coarsest
fellow is not insensible to."
"Here's a delicate bit of womanhood, or girlhood, coming to
receive a prize, I suppose," said Mr. Gawaine. "She must be one
of the racers in the sacks, who had set off before we came."
The "bit of womanhood" was our old acquaintance Bessy Cranage,
otherwise Chad's Bess, whose large red cheeks and blowsy person
had undergone an exaggeration of colour, which, if she had
happened to be a heavenly body, would have made her sublime.
Bessy, I am sorry to say, had taken to her ear-rings again since
Dinah's departure, and was otherwise decked out in such small
Adam Bede |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: philosophers, and he would conduct them thither himself--so well
did he bear being overlooked. Accordingly if any talk concerning
principles should arise among the unlearned, be you for the most
part silent. For you run great risk of spewing up what you have
ill digested. And when a man tells you that you know nothing and
you are not nettled at it, then you may be sure that you have
begun the work.
CLXXVI
When you have brought yourself to supply the needs of the
body at small cost, do not pique yourself on that, nor if you
drink only water, keep saying on each occasion, I drink water!
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
