| 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: monarchs, or presidents of the games, at the first symptom of an
offence against the law they inflict chastisement without warning and
without hesitation.
[6] Or, "before the expiration of their term of office." See Plut.
"Agis," 18 (Clough, iv. 464); Cic. "de Leg." iii. 7; "de Rep." ii.
33.
But of all the many beautiful contrivances invented by Lycurgus to
kindle a willing obedience to the laws in the hearts of the citizens,
none, to my mind, was happier or more excellent than his unwillingness
to deliver his code to the people at large, until, attended by the
most powerful members of the state, he had betaken himself to
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: "You were charming last night. The little duchess is quite devoted to you.
She tells me she is going down to Selby."
"She has promised to come on the twentieth."
"Is Monmouth to be there, too?"
"Oh, yes, Harry."
"He bores me dreadfully, almost as much as he bores her. She is very clever,
too clever for a woman. She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness.
It is the feet of clay that make the gold of the image precious. Her feet
are very pretty, but they are not feet of clay. White porcelain feet,
if you like. They have been through the fire, and what fire does not destroy,
it hardens. She has had experiences."
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer, Detective by Mark Twain: "effect"--I knowed it perfectly well. Then he turned
off like he was going to leave the platform, and says,
kind of lazy and indifferent:
"Well, I believe that is all."
Why, you never heard such a howl!--and it come from
the whole house:
"What WAS it you seen him do? Stay where you are,
you little devil! You think you are going to work a body
up till his mouth's a-watering and stop there? What WAS
it he done?"
That was it, you see--he just done it to get an "effect";
|
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 Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: CHAPTER XXIII
Duane returned to Fairdale and camped in the mesquite till the
twenty-third of the month. The few days seemed endless. All he
could think of was that the hour in which he must disgrace Ray
Longstreth was slowly but inexorably coming. In that waiting
time he learned what love was and also duty. When the day at
last dawned he rode like one possessed down the rough slope,
hurdling the stones and crashing through the brush, with a
sound in his ears that was not all the rush of the wind.
Something dragged at him.
Apparently one side of his mind was unalterably fixed, while
The Lone Star Ranger |
