| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: Szechuan, in sending young men of scholastic promise abroad to
study any branch of Western science or art best suited to their
tastes, that in time they may return to China and place the
fruits of their knowledge at the service of the empire." Such
were some of the edicts issued by the Emperor and the Empress
Dowager in their efforts to launch this new system of education
which was to transform the old China into a strong and sturdy
youth. What now were the results?
The Imperial College in Shansi was opened with 300 students all
of whom had already taken the Chinese degree of Bachelor of Arts.
It had both Chinese and foreign departments, and after the
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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 Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: hers. No other pneumatic had been along the road that morning. It
was just possible, of course, that he might see her once more--
coming back. Should he try and say something smart? He speculated
what manner of girl she might be. Probably she was one of these
here New Women. He had a persuasion the cult had been maligned.
Anyhow she was a Lady. And rich people, too! Her machine couldn't
have cost much under twenty pounds. His mind came round and dwelt
some time on her visible self. Rational dress didn't look a bit
unwomanly. However, he disdained to be one of your
fortunehunters. Then his thoughts drove off at a tangent. He
would certainly have to get something to eat at the next public
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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 Faraday as a Discoverer by John Tyndall: said the lamented Kohlrausch, an eminent German, once in my hearing:--
'He smells the truth.' His eyes are now steadily fixed on this
wonderful voltaic current, and he must learn more of its mode of
transmission.
On May 23, 1833, he read a paper before the Royal Society 'On a new
Law of Electric Conduction.' He found that, though the current
passed through water, it did not pass through ice:--why not, since
they are one and the same substance? Some years subsequently he
answered this question by saying that the liquid condition enables
the molecule of water to turn round so as to place itself in the
proper line of polarization, while the rigidity of the solid
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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 Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln: It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . .
we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead,
who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power
to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember,
what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished
work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining
before us. . .that from these honored dead we take increased devotion
to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . .
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