| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Troll Garden and Selected Stories by Willa Cather: up and began to look about her. She had heard queer tales about
the inside of Canute's shanty, and her curiosity soon got the
better of her rage. One of the first things she noticed was the
new black suit of clothes hanging on the wall. She was dull, but
it did not take a vain woman long to interpret anything so
decidedly flattering, and she was pleased in spite of herself. As
she looked through the cupboard, the general air of neglect and
discomfort made her pity the man who lived there.
"Poor fellow, no wonder he wants to get married to get
somebody to wash up his dishes. Batchin's pretty hard on a man."
It is easy to pity when once one's vanity has been tickled.
The Troll Garden and Selected Stories |
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 Apology by Xenophon: "I admit it," Socrates replied, "in the case of education, for they
know that I have made the matter a study; and with regard to health a
man prefers to obey his doctor rather than his parents; in the public
assembly the citizens of Athens, I presume, obey those whose arguments
exhibit the soundest wisdom rather than their own relations. And is it
not the case that, in your choice of generals, you set your fathers
and brothers, and, bless me! your own selves aside, by comparison with
those whom you believe to be the wisest authorities on military
matters?"
"No doubt, Socrates," replied Meletus, "because it is expedient and
customary so to do."
The Apology |
