| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: of an hour later I reached the place I sought.
Almost immediately the office-boy took me for a commercial
traveller and refused point-blank to announce my arrival. I told
him that I had an appointment.
"Yes," he said pleasantly. "They all 'as."
"Friend," said I, "I see that you are bent on gaining the
feathered fowl. In other words, if I'm kept waiting much longer
you'll get the bird."
"I don't think," he replied somewhat uneasily.
"That," said I, "is what I complain of."
I seated myself on a table and lighted a cigarette. Then:
The Brother of Daphne |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: in those acquirements demanding a true eye, a fleet foot, a strong arm and a
daring spirit. He had told all the people in the settlement, to many of whom
Betty was unknown, that she could ride like an Indian and shoot with undoubted
skill; that she had a generous share of the Zanes' fleetness of foot, and that
she would send a canoe over as bad a place as she could find. The boasts of
the Colonel remained as yet unproven, but, be that as it may, Betty had,
notwithstanding her many faults, endeared herself to all. She made sunshine
and happiness everywhere; the old people loved her; the children adored her,
and the broad shouldered, heavy footed young settlers were shy and silent, yet
blissfully happy in her presence.
"Betty, will you fill my pipe?" asked the Colonel, when he had finished his
Betty Zane |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Cratylus by Plato: HERMOGENES: That is true.
SOCRATES: The name anthropos, which was once a sentence, and is now a
noun, appears to be a case just of this sort, for one letter, which is the
alpha, has been omitted, and the acute on the last syllable has been
changed to a grave.
HERMOGENES: What do you mean?
SOCRATES: I mean to say that the word 'man' implies that other animals
never examine, or consider, or look up at what they see, but that man not
only sees (opope) but considers and looks up at that which he sees, and
hence he alone of all animals is rightly anthropos, meaning anathron a
opopen.
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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 Protagoras by Plato: that he was still very charming.
SOCRATES: What of his beard? Are you not of Homer's opinion, who says
'Youth is most charming when the beard first appears'?
And that is now the charm of Alcibiades.
COMPANION: Well, and how do matters proceed? Have you been visiting him,
and was he gracious to you?
SOCRATES: Yes, I thought that he was very gracious; and especially to-day,
for I have just come from him, and he has been helping me in an argument.
But shall I tell you a strange thing? I paid no attention to him, and
several times I quite forgot that he was present.
COMPANION: What is the meaning of this? Has anything happened between you
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