| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: at all. Nothing is more flattering to a woman's egotism than to divine
this passion, apparently immovable, and these emotions so deep that
they have needed a great length of time to reach the human surface.
These poor men, anchorites in the midst of Paris, have all the
enjoyments of anchorites; and may sometimes succumb to temptations.
But, more often deceived, betrayed, and misunderstood, they are rarely
able to gather the sweet fruits of a love which, to them, is like a
flower dropped from heaven.
One smile from his wife, a single inflection of her voice sufficed to
make Jules Desmarets conceive a passion which was boundless. Happily,
the concentrated fire of that secret passion revealed itself artlessly
Ferragus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: doing, whereupon he answered, "I am inspecting, stranger,"[28] "just
considering," says he, "the way the things are lying aboard the ship;
in case of accidents, you know, to see if anything is missing, or not
lying snug and shipshape.[29] There is no time left, you know," he
added, "when God mkes a tempest in the great deep, to set about
searching for what you want, or to be giving out anything which is not
snug and shipshape in its place. God threatens and chastises
sluggards.[30] If only He destroy not innocent with guilty, a man may
be content;[31] or if He turn and save all hands aboard that render
right good service,[32] thanks be to Heaven."[33]
[26] "Apparently when he had nothing better to do"; "by way of
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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 Reign of King Edward the Third by William Shakespeare: As wise, as fair; what fond fit can be heard,
When wisdom keeps the gate as beauty's guard?--
It shall attend, while I attend on thee:
Come on, my Lords; here will I host to night.
[Exeunt.]
ACT II. SCENE I. The Same. Gardens of the Castle.
[Enter Lodowick.]
LODOWICK.
I might perceive his eye in her eye lost,
His ear to drink her sweet tongue's utterance,
And changing passion, like inconstant clouds
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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 The Market-Place by Harold Frederic: been an hour or more, indeed, before the party broke up,
in which he had borne the lion's share of the talk--and
they had appeared as frankly entertained as the others.
In fact, when he recalled the circle of faces to which he
had addressed his monologue of reminiscences--curious
experiences and adventures in Java and the Argentine,
in Brazil and the Antilles and Mexico and the far West--it
was in the face of Lady Cressage that he seemed to discern
the most genuine interest.
Why should she frighten him, then, by daylight? The
whimsical theory that the wine at dinner had given him
The Market-Place |
