| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Cratylus by Plato: taken out of the first rude agglomeration of sounds that they may be
replaced in a higher and more logical order. We see that in the simplest
sentences are contained grammar and logic--the parts of speech, the Eleatic
philosophy and the Kantian categories. So complex is language, and so
expressive not only of the meanest wants of man, but of his highest
thoughts; so various are the aspects in which it is regarded by us. Then
again, when we follow the history of languages, we observe that they are
always slowly moving, half dead, half alive, half solid, half fluid; the
breath of a moment, yet like the air, continuous in all ages and
countries,--like the glacier, too, containing within them a trickling
stream which deposits debris of the rocks over which it passes. There were
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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 Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: Poesy, the rich meditations of which make us roam like botanists
through the vast fields of thought, the fruitful comparison of human
ideas, the enthusiasm given by a clear conception of works of genius,
came to be the inexhaustible and tranquil joys of the young man's
solitary and dreamy life. Flowers, ravishing creatures whose destiny
resembled his own, were his loves. Happy to see in her son the
innocent passions which took the place of the rough contact with
social life which he never could have borne, the duchess encouraged
Etienne's tastes; she brought him Spanish "romanceros," Italian
"motets," books, sonnets, poems. The library of Cardinal d'Herouville
came into Etienne's possession, the use of which filled his life.
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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 Lady Susan by Jane Austen: arrive, and in particular tell me what you mean to do with Mainwaring. It
is impossible to say when I shall be able to come to you; my confinement
must be great. It is such an abominable trick to be ill here instead of at
Bath that I can scarcely command myself at all. At Bath his old aunts
would have nursed him, but here it all falls upon me; and he bears pain
with such patience that I have not the common excuse for losing my temper.
Yours ever,
ALICIA.
XXIX
LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON
Upper Seymour Street.
Lady Susan |
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 Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: his hind flippers half in and half out of the surf.
"Wake up!" barked Kotick, for the gulls were making a great
noise.
"Hah! Ho! Hmph! What's that?" said Sea Vitch, and he struck
the next walrus a blow with his tusks and waked him up, and the
next struck the next, and so on till they were all awake and
staring in every direction but the right one.
"Hi! It's me," said Kotick, bobbing in the surf and looking
like a little white slug.
"Well! May I be--skinned!" said Sea Vitch, and they all
looked at Kotick as you can fancy a club full of drowsy old
The Jungle Book |
