| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Professor by Charlotte Bronte: was gone; the provocative smile quenched in the expressive brown
eyes, and a ray of gentle homage shone under the lids in its
place. I had seized a mere vexing fairy, and found a submissive
and supplicating little mortal woman in my arms. Then I made her
get a book, and read English to me for an hour by way of penance.
I frequently dosed her with Wordsworth in this way, and
Wordsworth steadied her soon; she had a difficulty in
comprehending his deep, serene, and sober mind; his language,
too, was not facile to her; she had to ask questions, to sue for
explanations, to be like a child and a novice, and to acknowledge
me as her senior and director. Her instinct instantly penetrated
The Professor |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: century. Simplicius, Bishop of Autun, who
had been married before his promotion,
continued to live with his wife, and in order to
demonstrate the Platonic purity of their intercourse
placed burning coals upon their flesh
without injury.
That the clergy of the Middle Ages, who
caused accused persons to walk blindfold
among red-hot plowshares, or hold heated
irons in their hands, were in possession of the
secret of the trick, is shown by the fact that
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: produce the other.
[4] See Plut. "Ages." ii. (Clough, iv. p. 2); also Plut. "Ap. Lac." p.
115; ib. p. 103; Cic. "ad Div." V. xii. 7.
As for riches, he employed them not with justice merely, but with
liberality, holding that for a just man it is sufficient if he let
alone the things of others, but of a liberal man it is required that
he should take of his own and give to supply another's needs.
He was ever subject to religious fear,[5] believing that no man during
his lifetime, however well he lives, can be counted happy; it is only
he who has ended his days with glory of whom it can be said that he
has attained at last to blessedness.[6]
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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 Economist by Xenophon: success; you have, moreover, made him capable of ruling; and, as the
crowning point of all your efforts, this same trusty person shows no
less delight, than you might take yourself, in laying at your feet[1]
earth's products, each in due season richly harvested--I need hardly
ask concerning such an one, whether aught else is lacking to him. It
is clear to me[2] an overseer of this sort would be worth his weight
in gold. But now, Ischomachus, I would have you not omit a topic
somewhat lightly handled by us in the previous argument.[3]
[1] {apodeiknuon}, i.e. in presenting the inventory of products for
the year. Cf. "Hell." V. iii. 17; "Revenues," ii. 7.
[2] {ede}, at this stage of the discussion.
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