| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: and which the opposite.[26] And so recognising those who are
serviceable and advantageous[27] to itself, even though they be base,
the People loves them; but the good folk they are disposed rather to
hate. This virtue of theirs, the People holds, is not engrained in
their nature for any good to itself, but rather for its injury. In
direct opposition to this, there are some persons who, being[28] born
of the People, are yet by natural instinct not commoners. For my part
I pardon the People its own democracy, as, indeed, it is pardonable in
any one to do good to himself.[29] But the man who, not being himself
one of the People, prefers to live in a state democratically governed
rather than in an oligarchical state may be said to smooth his own
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: the physical sufferings of the countess, and so enabled her to cast a
furtive glance at the actors in this mysterious scene. She did not
recognize Bertrand, who was there disguised and masked as carefully as
his master. After lighting in haste some candles, the light of which
mingled with the first rays of the sun which were reddening the window
panes, the old servitor had gone to the embrasure of a window and
stood leaning against a corner of it. There, with his face towards the
wall, he seemed to be estimating its thickness, keeping his body in
such absolute immobility that he might have been taken for a statue.
In the middle of the room the countess beheld a short, stout man,
apparently out of breath and stupefied, whose eyes were blindfolded
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare: some sufficient honest witnesses.
If this be not that you look for, I have more to say,
But bid Bianca farewell for ever and a day.
[Going.]
LUCENTIO.
Hear'st thou, Biondello?
BIONDELLO.
I cannot tarry: I knew a wench married in an afternoon
as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit; and so
may you, sir; and so adieu, sir. My master hath appointed me to
go to Saint Luke's to bid the priest be ready to come against you
The Taming of the Shrew |
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 At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: is a great wall that prevents the earth and waters from
escaping over into the burning sea whereon Pellucidar floats;
but I never have been so far from Anoroc as to have
seen this wall with my own eyes. However, it is quite
reasonable to believe that this is true, whereas there
is no reason at all in the foolish belief of the Mahars.
According to them Pellucidarians who live upon the opposite
side walk always with their heads pointed downward!" and Ja
laughed uproariously at the very thought.
It was plain to see that the human folk of this inner
world had not advanced far in learning, and the thought
At the Earth's Core |
