| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: SOCRATES: Listen to me, then, in silence; for surely the place is holy; so
that you must not wonder, if, as I proceed, I appear to be in a divine
fury, for already I am getting into dithyrambics.
PHAEDRUS: Nothing can be truer.
SOCRATES: The responsibility rests with you. But hear what follows, and
perhaps the fit may be averted; all is in their hands above. I will go on
talking to my youth. Listen:--
Thus, my friend, we have declared and defined the nature of the subject.
Keeping the definition in view, let us now enquire what advantage or
disadvantage is likely to ensue from the lover or the non-lover to him who
accepts their advances.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: "The scene has been prepared between them as gamblers prepare the
cards to ruin a pigeon," thought the old notary. "Is this poor boy,
whom I saw born, doomed to be plucked alive by that woman, roasted by
his very love, and devoured by his wife? I, who have nursed these fine
estates for years with such care, am I to see them ruined in a single
night? Three million and a half to be hypothecated for eleven hundred
thousand francs these women will force him to squander!"
Discovering thus in the soul of the elder woman intentions which,
without involving crime, theft, swindling, or any actually evil or
blameworthy action, nevertheless belonged to all those criminalities
in embryo, Maitre Mathias felt neither sorrow nor generous
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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 Adventure by Jack London: Berande. Everything was ready for the start, but he lingered on,
spending much time in Joan's company and thereby increasing the
dislike Sheldon had taken to him. He went swimming with her, in
point of rashness exceeding her; and dynamited fish with her,
diving among the hungry ground-sharks and contesting with them for
possession of the stunned prey, until he earned the approval of the
whole Tahitian crew. Arahu challenged him to tear a fish from a
shark's jaws, leaving half to the shark and bringing the other half
himself to the surface; and Tudor performed the feat, a flip from
the sandpaper hide of the astonished shark scraping several inches
of skin from his shoulder. And Joan was delighted, while Sheldon,
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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 Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: Latin, and with his dagger point he carved his own name among the
many cut deep into the back of the bench before him. When, after
breakfast, the squires poured like school-boys into the great
armory to answer to the roll-call for daily exercise, he came
storming in with the rest, beating the lad in front of him with
his cap.
Boys are very keen to feel the influence of a forceful character.
A lad with a strong will is quick to reach his proper level as a
greater or lesser leader among the others, and Myles was of just
the masterful nature to make his individuality felt among the
Devlen squires. He was quick enough to yield obedience upon all
Men of Iron |
