| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Reef by Edith Wharton: for she said at once: "Madame de Chantelle wants you to go
up to her."
"To go up to her? Now?"
"That's the message she sent. She appears to rely on you to
do something." She added with a smile: "Whatever it is,
let's have it over!"
Darrow, through his rising sense of apprehension, wondered
why, instead of merely going for a walk, he had not jumped
into the first train and got out of the way till Owen's
affairs were finally settled.
"But what in the name of goodness can I do?" he protested,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: lands before that of the masses. The women who could have founded
European /salons/, could have guided opinion and turned it inside out
like a glove, could have ruled the world by ruling the men of art or
of intellect who ought to have ruled it, have committed the blunder of
abandoning their ground; they were ashamed of having to fight against
the citizen class drunk with power, and rushing out on to the stage of
the world, there to be cut to pieces perhaps by the barbarians who are
at its heels. Hence, where the middle class insist on seeing
princesses, these are really only ladylike young women. In these days
princes can find no great ladies whom they may compromise; they cannot
even confer honor on a woman taken up at random. The Duc de Bourbon
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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 Cavalry General by Xenophon: may most be able to injure the enemy."
The general of cavalry,[8] as patron of the whole department, is
naturally responsible for its efficient working. In view, however, of
the task imposed upon that officer had he to carry out these various
details single-handed, the state has chosen to associate[9] with him
certain coadjutors in the persons of the phylarchs (or tribal
captains),[10] and has besides imposed upon the senate a share in the
superintendence of the cavalry. This being so, two things appear to me
desirable; the first is, so to work upon the phylarch that he shall
share your own enthusiasm for the honour of the corps;[11] and
secondly, to have at your disposal in the senate able orators,[12]
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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 The Cavalry General by Xenophon: [2] Or, "what this best order is, the adoption of which will give
these several features fair accomplishment, I will without further
pause set forth."
We take as our basis, then, the constitutional division of ten
tribes.[3] Given these, the proper course, I say, is to appoint, with
the concurrence of the several phylarchs, certain decadarchs
(file-leaders)[4] to be selected from the men ripest of age and
strength, most eager to achieve some deed of honour and to be known to
fame. These are to form your front-rank men;[5] and after these, a
corresponding number should be chosen from the oldest and the most
sagacious members of the squadron, to form the rear-rank of the files
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