| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: away to the boats, he kicking and struggling, and bidding us let
him go on with the fight, though every step he took in the sand was
in a pool of blood; and so we got off. And tell me, ye sons of
shotten herrings, wasn't it worth more to save him than the dirty
silver? for silver we can get again, brave boys: there's more fish
in the sea than ever came out of it, and more silver in Nombre de
Dios than would pave all the streets in the west country: but of
such captains as Franky Drake, Heaven never makes but one at a
time; and if we lose him, good-bye to England's luck, say I, and
who don't agree, let him choose his weapons, and I'm his man."
He who delivered this harangue was a tall and sturdy personage,
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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 Sportsman by Xenophon: the most pious. Indeed ancient tales affirm[28] that the very gods
themselves take joy in this work[29] as actors and spectators. So
that,[30] with due reflection on these things, the young who act upon
my admonitions will be found, perchance, beloved of heaven and
reverent of soul, checked by the thought that some one of the gods is
eyeing their performance.[31]
[27] Or, "Those people who would fain have the lion's share in the
state."
[28] Or, "an ancient story obtains."
[29] Sc. "of the chase."
[30] Or {uparkhein} = "it may be considered as given." Scheid. cf.
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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 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: travellers. Thus it was here; for wherever we came, though at
these towns and stations the garrisons and governors were Russians,
and professed Christians, yet the inhabitants were mere pagans,
sacrificing to idols, and worshipping the sun, moon, and stars, or
all the host of heaven; and not only so, but were, of all the
heathens and pagans that ever I met with, the most barbarous,
except only that they did not eat men's flesh.
Some instances of this we met with in the country between Arguna,
where we enter the Muscovite dominions, and a city of Tartars and
Russians together, called Nortziousky, in which is a continued
desert or forest, which cost us twenty days to travel over. In a
Robinson Crusoe |
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 Modeste Mignon by Honore de Balzac: fragments at my feet, and has long been so. No, no, all anonymous
letters are begging letters; and what sort of begging? Write yourself
to that young woman, if you suppose her young and pretty, and you'll
find out. There is nothing like experience. As for me, I can't
reasonably be expected to love every woman; Apollo, at any rate he of
Belvedere, is a delicate consumptive who must take care of his
health."
"But when a woman writes to you in this way her excuse must certainly
be in her consciousness that she is able to eclipse in tenderness and
beauty every other woman," said Ernest, "and I should think you might
feel some curiosity--"
Modeste Mignon |
