| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: able to raise without breaking it. This hem, generally
undistinguishable from the rest of the surface, is none other than
the edge of the circular mat, drawn over the lower hemisphere. The
other hemisphere, through which the youngsters will go out, is less
well fortified: its only wrapper is the texture spun over the eggs
immediately after they were laid.
Inside, there is nothing but the eggs: no mattress, no soft
eiderdown, like that of the Epeirae. The Lycosa, indeed, has no
need to guard her eggs against the inclemencies of the winter, for
the hatching will take place long before the cold weather comes.
Similarly, the Thomisus, with her early brood, takes good care not
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Vision Splendid by William MacLeod Raine: stuff that makes the workingman discontented with his lot. A
trouble maker, that's what he is. Stops the wheels of industry.
Gets in the road of the boosters to croak hard times."
Alice observed the thick rolls of purple fat that bulged over his
collar.
"Progress now," he went on. "I'm for progress. Develop the
country. That gives work to the laborers and keeps them contented.
But men like Farnum are always hampering development by annoying
capital. Now that's foolish because capital employs labor."
The young woman suggested another possibility. "Or else labor
employs capital."
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