| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Laches by Plato: First is the aged Lysimachus, who may be compared with Cephalus in the
Republic, and, like him, withdraws from the argument. Melesias, who is
only his shadow, also subsides into silence. Both of them, by their own
confession, have been ill-educated, as is further shown by the circumstance
that Lysimachus, the friend of Sophroniscus, has never heard of the fame of
Socrates, his son; they belong to different circles. In the Meno their
want of education in all but the arts of riding and wrestling is adduced as
a proof that virtue cannot be taught. The recognition of Socrates by
Lysimachus is extremely graceful; and his military exploits naturally
connect him with the two generals, of whom one has witnessed them. The
characters of Nicias and Laches are indicated by their opinions on the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: thoroughly successful deprecation, though conveyed without pride or
sound or touch, of the idea that she might be, out of the cage, the
very shop-girl at large that she hugged the theory she wasn't.
Yes, it was strange, she afterwards thought, that so much could
have come and gone and yet not disfigured the dear little intense
crisis either with impertinence or with resentment, with any of the
horrid notes of that kind of acquaintance. He had taken no
liberty, as she would have so called it; and, through not having to
betray the sense of one, she herself had, still more charmingly,
taken none. On the spot, nevertheless, she could speculate as to
what it meant that, if his relation with Lady Bradeen continued to
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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 The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: satisfied, even with troubles. What I seek is unsatisfied longings.'
"'Nevertheless,' said he, 'I advise you to travel. Everything will
probably go wrong with you, and then you will be happy.'
"I acted upon the stranger's advice and ran away from home the next
day. After journeying a long time I commenced to feel the pangs of
hunger, and was just beginning to enjoy myself when a knight rode by
and gave me a supply of food. At this rebuff I could not restrain my
tears, but while I wept my horse stumbled and threw me over his head.
I hoped at first I had broken my neck, and was just congratulating
myself upon the misfortune, when a witch-woman came along and rubbed
some ointment upon my bruises, in spite of my protests. To my great
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
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 Country Doctor by Honore de Balzac: the lament became general. The widow took a pair of scissors that hung
at her waist, cut off her hair, and laid the locks in her husband's
hand. Deep silence fell on them all.
"That act means that she will not marry again," said Benassis; "this
determination was expected by many of the relatives."
"Take it, dear lord!" she said; her emotion brought a tremor to her
voice that went to the hearts of all who heard her. "I have sworn to
be faithful; I give this pledge to you to keep in the grave. We shall
thus be united for ever, and through love of your children I will live
on among the family in whom you used to feel yourself young again. Oh!
that you could hear me, my husband! the pride and joy of my heart! Oh!
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