| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin: running to the upper lip were still partially contracted, which together
with the tear-stained cheeks gave to the upper half of the face an expression
not to be distinguished from that of a child still blubbering from grief.
The fact of tears streaming down the face during violent laughter is common
to all the races of mankind, as we shall see in a future chapter.
In violent coughing especially when a person is half-choked,
the face becomes purple, the veins distended, the orbicular muscles
strongly contracted, and tears run down the cheeks. Even after
a fit of ordinary coughing, almost every one has to wipe his eyes.
In violent vomiting or retching, as I have myself experienced
and seen in others, the orbicular muscles are strongly contracted,
Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: though I went beyond mere reminding, such gentle remonstrances as I
could use were utterly ineffectual.
'DEAR Miss Grey! it is the STRANGEST thing. I suppose you can't
help it, if it's not in your nature - but I WONDER you can't win
the confidence of that girl, and make your society at LEAST as
agreeable to her as that of Robert or Joseph!'
'They can talk the best about the things in which she is most
interested,' I replied.
'Well! that is a strange confession, HOWEVER, to come from her
GOVERNESS! Who is to form a young lady's tastes, I wonder, if the
governess doesn't do it? I have known governesses who have so
Agnes Grey |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from At the Sign of the Cat & Racket by Honore de Balzac: face of the young painter. She at once recalled the figure of a
loiterer whom, being curious, she had frequently observed, believing
him to be a new neighbor.
"You see how love has inspired me," said the artist in the timid
creature's ear, and she stood in dismay at the words.
She found supernatural courage to enable her to push through the crowd
and join her cousin, who was still struggling with the mass of people
that hindered her from getting to the picture.
"You will be stifled!" cried Augustine. "Let us go."
But there are moments, at the Salon, when two women are not always
free to direct their steps through the galleries. By the irregular
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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 Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: anger touched her to the heart; she expected some violent crisis, some
ungovernable fury; she had not armed her soul against paternal
gentleness.
"Father," she said, in a tender voice, "no, you shall never be
abandoned by your Ginevra. But love her a little for her own sake. If
you know how he loves me! Ah! HE would never make me unhappy!"
"Comparisons already!" cried Piombo, in a terrible voice. "No, I can
never endure the idea of your marriage. If he loved you as you deserve
to be loved he would kill me; if he did not love you, I should put a
dagger through him."
The hands of the old man trembled, his lips trembled, his body
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