| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Father Damien by Robert Louis Stevenson: and did.
I think I see you - for I try to see you in the flesh as I write
these sentences - I think I see you leap at the word pigsty, a
hyperbolical expression at the best. "He had no hand in the
reforms," he was "a coarse, dirty man"; these were your own words;
and you may think it possible that I am come to support you with
fresh evidence. In a sense, it is even so. Damien has been too
much depicted with a conventional halo and conventional features;
so drawn by men who perhaps had not the eye to remark or the pen to
express the individual; or who perhaps were only blinded and
silenced by generous admiration, such as I partly envy for myself -
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: an empty space, into which the light in her hand fell uselessly.
Allowing this bacchante to give vent to her despair by saluting her
much-beloved uncle with the harshest epithets, Cerizet quietly
inserted his arm into the cupboard, and after feeling it over at the
back, he cried out, "An iron safe!" adding, impatiently, "Give me more
light, Madame Cardinal."
Then, as the light did not penetrate to the depths of the cupboard, he
snatched the candle from the bottle, where, in default of a
candlestick, the Cardinal had stuck it, and, taking it in his hand,
moved it carefully over all parts of the iron safe, the existence of
which was now a certainty.
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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 The Odyssey by Homer: in each, and in every company they held nine bulls ready to
hand. Just as they had tasted the inner parts, and were
burning the slices of the thighs on the altar to the god,
the others were bearing straight to land, and brailed up
the sails of the gallant ship, and moored her, and
themselves came forth. And Telemachus too stept forth from
the ship, and Athene led the way. And the goddess,
grey-eyed Athene, spake first to him, saying:
'Telemachus, thou needst not now be abashed, no, not one
whit. For to this very end didst thou sail over the deep,
that thou mightest hear tidings of thy father, even where
The Odyssey |
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 A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: moment I enter'd the room; so I sat down at once like a son of the
family; and to invest myself in the character as speedily as I
could, I instantly borrowed the old man's knife, and taking up the
loaf, cut myself a hearty luncheon; and, as I did it, I saw a
testimony in every eye, not only of an honest welcome, but of a
welcome mix'd with thanks that I had not seem'd to doubt it.
Was it this? or tell me, Nature, what else it was that made this
morsel so sweet, - and to what magic I owe it, that the draught I
took of their flagon was so delicious with it, that they remain
upon my palate to this hour?
If the supper was to my taste, - the grace which followed it was
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