| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: which is shown in the rescue is honourable? Now is this courage good or
evil? Look at the matter thus: which would you rather choose, good or
evil?
ALCIBIADES: Good.
SOCRATES: And the greatest goods you would be most ready to choose, and
would least like to be deprived of them?
ALCIBIADES: Certainly.
SOCRATES: What would you say of courage? At what price would you be
willing to be deprived of courage?
ALCIBIADES: I would rather die than be a coward.
SOCRATES: Then you think that cowardice is the worst of evils?
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: has learned to estimate at its full value, he scruples to take it
from those who still possess it.
On the other hand, those who continue to believe are not
afraid openly to avow their faith. They look upon those who do
not share their persuasion as more worthy of pity than of
opposition; and they are aware that to acquire the esteem of the
unbelieving, they are not obliged to follow their example. They
are hostile to no one in the world; and as they do not consider
the society in which they live as an arena in which religion is
bound to face its thousand deadly foes, they love their
contemporaries, whilst they condemn their weaknesses and lament
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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 The Sportsman by Xenophon: the outside tense and not too flabby on the inside; the long, stout
lower legs or shanks; the fore-feet, exceedingly pliant, thin, and
straight; the hind-feet firm and broad; front and hind alike totally
regardless of rough ground; the hind-legs far longer than the fore,
inclined outwards somewhat; the fur[54] short and light.
[49] Reading {katophere [stenen ek tou emprosthen]}. See Lenz ad loc.
pp. 23, 24. Pollux, v. 69.
[50] Reading {[lepton, periphere]}.
[51] {sugkola}, al. "compactly knit."
[52] Lit. {ou barutonon}, "not deep sounding" = {ou sarkodes}, Pollux,
ib.
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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 An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson: They made a stage at one end of the SALLE-A-MANGER. And what a
sight it was to see M. de Vauversin, with a cigarette in his mouth,
twanging a guitar, and following Mademoiselle Ferrario's eyes with
the obedient, kindly look of a dog! The entertainment wound up
with a tombola, or auction of lottery tickets: an admirable
amusement, with all the excitement of gambling, and no hope of gain
to make you ashamed of your eagerness; for there, all is loss; you
make haste to be out of pocket; it is a competition who shall lose
most money for the benefit of M. de Vauversin and Mademoiselle
Ferrario.
M. de Vauversin is a small man, with a great head of black hair, a
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