| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Woman and Labour by Olive Schreiner: human female and another for the licentious human male; whether the claim
of the female to the offspring she bears shall or shall not equal that of
the male who begets it; whether an act of infidelity on the part of the
male shall or shall not terminate the contract which binds his female
companion to him, as completely as an act of infidelity on her part would
terminate her claim on him; it is not a matter of indifference whether a
body elected to adjudicate on such points as these consists of males
solely, or females solely, or of both combined. As it consists of one, or
the other, or of both, so not only will the answers vary, but, in some
cases, will they be completely diverse. Here we come into that very
narrow, but important, region, where sex as sex manifestly plays its part;
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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 Redheaded Outfield by Zane Grey: Grace's ear. Then he gave Bob a signal to run
on the first pitch.
Grace tried to bunt the first ball, but he missed
it. His attempt, however, was so violent that he
fell over in front of the catcher, who could not
recover in time to throw, and Bob got to second
base. At this juncture, the Madden's Hill band
of loyal supporters opened up with a mingling
of shrill yells and whistles and jangling of tin
cans filled with pebbles. Grace hit the next ball
into second base and, while he was being thrown
The Redheaded Outfield |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: ALCIBIADES: Decidedly not.
SOCRATES: Nor again, I suppose, a person who knows the art of war, but
does not know whether it is better to go to war or for how long?
ALCIBIADES: No.
SOCRATES: Nor, once more, a person who knows how to kill another or to
take away his property or to drive him from his native land, but not when
it is better to do so or for whom it is better?
ALCIBIADES: Certainly not.
SOCRATES: But he who understands anything of the kind and has at the same
time the knowledge of the best course of action:--and the best and the
useful are surely the same?--
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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 Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: doorway through which Jav had brought them into the
presence of the jeddak earlier in the day.
They had almost reached the threshold when a figure sprang
into the apartment through another entrance. It was Jav.
He, too, took in the scene within at a glance.
Carthoris turned to face him, his sword ready in his hand,
and his great body shielding the slender figure of the girl.
"Come, Jav of Lothar!" he cried. "Let us face the
issue at once, for only one of us may leave this chamber
alive with Thuvia of Ptarth." Then, seeing that the man
wore no sword, he exclaimed: "Bring on your bowmen,
Thuvia, Maid of Mars |
