| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: of age, suffered sharply with all his old firmness, and died happy
in the knowledge that he had left his wife well cared for. This
had always been a bosom concern; for the Barrons were long-lived
and he believed that she would long survive him. But their union
had been so full and quiet that Mrs. Austin languished under the
separation. In their last years, they would sit all evening in
their own drawing-room hand in hand: two old people who, for all
their fundamental differences, had yet grown together and become
all the world in each other's eyes and hearts; and it was felt to
be a kind release, when eight months after, on January 14, 1885,
Eliza Barron followed Alfred Austin. 'I wish I could save you from
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: pas rever. Les reveurs sont des malades. [Elle frappe le page avec
son eventail.]
LE SECOND NAZAREEN. Aussi il y a le miracle de la fille de Jaire.
LE PREMIER NAZAREEN. Mais oui, c'est tres certain cela. On ne peut
pas le nier.
HERODIAS. Ces gens-le sont fous. Ils ont trop regarde la lune.
Dites-leur de se taire.
HERODE. Qu'est-ce que c'est que cela, le miracle de la fille de
Jaire?
LE PREMIER NAZAREEN. La fille de Jaire etait morte. Il l'a
ressuscitee.
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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 Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley: think that we know, and that they ought to have known, enough
about earthquakes to have been more prudent than they have been
for many a year. At least we will hope that, though they would
not learn their lesson till this year, they will learn it now, and
will listen to the message which I think Madam How has brought
them, spoken in a voice of thunder, and written in letters of
flame.
And what is that?
My dear child, if the landlord of our house was in the habit of
pulling the roof down upon our heads, and putting gunpowder under
the foundations to blow us up, do you not think we should know
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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 Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: or rather the gun, of Mr. Murray's gamekeeper.'
'God bless you, sir!' cried the grateful old woman, ready to weep
for joy as she received her favourite from his arms.
'Take care of it,' said he, 'and don't let it go near the rabbit-
warren, for the gamekeeper swears he'll shoot it if he sees it
there again: he would have done so to-day, if I had not been in
time to stop him. I believe it is raining, Miss Grey,' added he,
more quietly, observing that I had put aside my work, and was
preparing to depart. 'Don't let me disturb you - I shan't stay two
minutes.'
'You'll BOTH stay while this shower gets owered,' said Nancy, as
Agnes Grey |
