| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: geometricians, who are generally indifferent to questions of
instinct, nor entomological collectors, who, as such, take no
interest in mathematical theorems; I write for any one with
sufficient intelligence to enjoy the lessons which the insect
teaches.
What am I to do? To suppress this chapter were to leave out the
most remarkable instance of Spider industry; to treat it as it
should be treated, that is to say, with the whole armoury of
scientific formulae, would be out of place in these modest pages.
Let us take a middle course, avoiding both abstruse truths and
complete ignorance.
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: whom I dined being both strangers to the place, and Catholics. The
young men of the house stood round and supported me; and the whole
discussion was tolerantly conducted, and surprised a man brought up
among the infinitesimal and contentious differences of Scotland.
The merchant, indeed, grew a little warm, and was far less pleased
than some others with my historical acquirements. But the gendarme
was mighty easy over it all.
'It's a bad idea for a man to change,' said he; and the remark was
generally applauded.
That was not the opinion of the priest and soldier at Our Lady of
the Snows. But this is a different race; and perhaps the same
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