| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: future prospects, their name and fortune; that he often wants money,
to such a point, that not long since the landlord, one Mariast, put in
an execution on the furniture in the rooms; that when this execution
was carried out in his presence, the Marquis d'Espard helped the
bailiff, whom he treated like a man of rank, paying him all the marks
of attention and respect which he would have shown to a person of
superior birth and dignity to himself.' "
The uncle and nephew glanced at each other and laughed.
" 'That, moreover, every act of his life, besides the facts with
reference to the widow Jeanrenaud and the Baron Jeanrenaud, her son,
are those of a madman; that for nearly ten years he has given his
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: "You're in luck's way, you are, since you haven't been at a first
night before. The Blonde Venus will be the event of the year.
People have been talking about it for six months. Oh, such music,
my dear boy! Such a sly dog, Bordenave! He knows his business and
has kept this for the exhibition season." Hector was religiously
attentive. He asked a question.
"And Nana, the new star who's going to play Venus, d'you know her?"
"There you are; you're beginning again!" cried Fauchery, casting up
his arms. "Ever since this morning people have been dreeing me with
Nana. I've met more than twenty people, and it's Nana here and Nana
there! What do I know? Am I acquainted with all the light ladies
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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 Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: consisterent fortiterque impetum nostrorum militum sustinerent, priores,
quod abesse a periculo viderentur neque ulla necessitate neque imperio
continerentur, exaudito clamore perturbatis ordinibus omnes in fuga sibi
praesidium ponerent. Ita sine ullo periculo tantam eorum multitudinem
nostri interfecerunt quantum fuit diei spatium; sub occasum solis sequi
destiterunt seque in castra, ut erat imperatum, receperunt.
Postridie eius diei Caesar, prius quam se hostes ex terrore ac fuga
reciperent, in fines Suessionum, qui proximi Remis erant, exercitum duxit
et magno itinere [confecto] ad oppidum Noviodunum contendit. Id ex
itinere oppugnare conatus, quod vacuum ab defensoribus esse audiebat,
propter latitudinem fossae murique altitudinem paucis defendentihus
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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 Two Poets by Honore de Balzac: Fontaine's Franciscan friars, with the fringe of grizzled hair still
curling about his bald pate. He was short and corpulent, like one of
the old-fashioned lamps for illumination, that burn a vast deal of oil
to a very small piece of wick; for excess of any sort confirms the
habit of body, and drunkenness, like much study, makes the fat man
stouter, and the lean man leaner still.
For thirty years Jerome-Nicolas-Sechard had worn the famous municipal
three-cornered hat, which you may still see here and there on the head
of the towncrier in out-of-the-way places. His breeches and waistcoat
were of greenish velveteen, and he wore an old-fashioned brown
greatcoat, gray cotton stockings, and shoes with silver buckles to
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