| 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: or are they always good?
ALCIBIADES: I rather think, Socrates, that some honourable things are
evil.
SOCRATES: And are some dishonourable things good?
ALCIBIADES: Yes.
SOCRATES: You mean in such a case as the following:--In time of war, men
have been wounded or have died in rescuing a companion or kinsman, when
others who have neglected the duty of rescuing them have escaped in safety?
ALCIBIADES: True.
SOCRATES: And to rescue another under such circumstances is honourable, in
respect of the attempt to save those whom we ought to save; and this is
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: willing to understand the calculation."
"I thank you for explaining it to me, and I shall profit by it."
"Do you wish to sell?" asked Magus, eagerly.
"What are the other jewels worth?"
The Jew examined the gold of the settings, held the pearls to the
light, scrutinized the rubies, the diadems, clasps, bracelets, and
chains, and said, in a mumbling tone:--
"A good many Portuguese diamonds from Brazil are among them. They are
not worth more than a hundred thousand to me. But," he added, "a
dealer would sell them to a customer for one hundred and fifty
thousand, at least."
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: visited France, and appears to have met some of the men-at-arms
with whom she had fought. In 1439 she came to Orleans, for in the
accounts of the town we read, "July 28, for ten pints of wine
presented to Jeanne des Armoises, 14 sous." And on the day of her
departure, the citizens of Orleans, by a special decree of the
town-council, presented her with 210 livres, "for the services
which she had rendered to the said city during the siege." At the
same time the annual ceremonies for the repose of her soul were,
quite naturally, suppressed. Now we may ask if it is at all
probable that the people of Orleans, who, ten years before,
during the siege, must have seen the Maid day after day, and to
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
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 Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: of what has happened that he walks away--anywhere, as though by walking
away he could escape...
It was cold in the street. There was a wind like ice. People went
flitting by, very fast; the men walked like scissors; the women trod like
cats. And nobody knew--nobody cared. Even if she broke down, if at last,
after all these years, she were to cry, she'd find herself in the lock-up
as like as not.
But at the thought of crying it was as though little Lennie leapt in his
gran's arms. Ah, that's what she wants to do, my dove. Gran wants to cry.
If she could only cry now, cry for a long time, over everything, beginning
with her first place and the cruel cook, going on to the doctor's, and then
|
