| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: the republican theories of the Hollanders; though it is hardly
necessary for Mr. Motley to sneer at them quite so often because
they were not to an impossible degree in advance of their age.
The proclamation of a republic in the Netherlands marked of
itself the beginning of a new era,--an era when flourishing
communities of men were no longer to be bought and sold,
transferred and bequeathed like real estate and chattels, but
were to have and maintain the right of choosing with whom and
under whom they should transact their affairs. The interminable
negotiations for a truce, which fill nearly one third of Mr.
Motley's concluding volume, exhibit with striking distinctness
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: doctors! If they couldn't always find something wrong you'd say
they didn't know their business."
"But our doctor is a great doctor; and you have seen yourself
that our child has some little pimples."
"Ah, ma'am," said the nurse, "that's the heat--it's nothing but
the heat of the blood breaking out. You don't need to bother
yourself; I tell you it's only the child's blood. It's not my
fault; I swear to you that she had not lacked anything, and that
I have always kept her proper."
"I am not reproaching you--"
"What is there to reproach me for? Oh, what bad luck! She's
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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 Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: he had been in the infantry, the affair might have seemed more likely;
but, as an officer of rank in the cavalry, he belonged to that French
arm which demands rapidity in its conquests and derives as much vanity
from its amorous exploits as from its dashing uniform. But the passion
of this officer was a true love, and many young hearts will think it
noble. He loved this woman because she was virtuous; he loved her
virtue, her modest grace, her imposing saintliness, as the dearest
treasures of his hidden passion. This woman was indeed worthy to
inspire one of those platonic loves which are found, like flowers amid
bloody ruins, in the history of the middle-ages; worthy to be the
hidden principle of all the actions of a young man's life; a love as
Ferragus |
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 Agesilaus by Xenophon: break of day he turned right about and took Peiraeum, defenceless as
it lay, capturing all that it contained, with the various fortresses
within; and having so done retired homewards.
After these exploits[16] the Achaeans were urgent for an alliance, and
begged him to join them in an expedition against Acarnania. In the
course of this the Acarnanians attacked him in a defile. Storming the
heights above his head with his light troops,[17] he gave them battle,
and slew many of them, and set up a trophy, nor stayed his hand until
he had united the Acarnanians, the Aetolians, and the Argives,[18] in
friendship with the Achaeans and alliance with himself.
[16] B.C. 390-389?
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