| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson: a-dub goes direct to a man's heart, and puts madness there, and
that disposition of the pulses which we, in our big way of talking,
nickname Heroism:- is there not something in the nature of a
revenge upon the donkey's persecutors? Of old, he might say, you
drubbed me up hill and down dale, and I must endure; but now that I
am dead, those dull thwacks that were scarcely audible in country
lanes, have become stirring music in front of the brigade; and for
every blow that you lay on my old greatcoat, you will see a comrade
stumble and fall.
Not long after the drums had passed the CAFE, the CIGARETTE and the
ARETHUSA began to grow sleepy, and set out for the hotel, which was
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Melmoth Reconciled by Honore de Balzac: introduce Melmoth to Mme. de la Garde. Aquilina seemed to be not in
the least surprised. The Englishman declined to take a seat in front,
and Castanier was once more beside his mistress; the man's slightest
wish must be obeyed. The last piece was about to begin, for, at that
time, small theatres gave only three pieces. One of the actors had
made the Gymnase the fashion, and that evening Perlet (the actor in
question) was to play in a vaudeville called Le Comedien d'Etampes, in
which he filled four different parts.
When the curtain rose, the stranger stretched out his hand over the
crowded house. Castanier's cry of terror died away, for the walls of
his throat seemed glued together as Melmoth pointed to the stage, and
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Europeans by Henry James: and this was disagreeable to him; and, furthermore, it had been
repeated to him that this husband wished to put her away--a state
of affairs to which even indirect reference was to be deprecated.
It was true, nevertheless, that the Baroness herself had often
alluded to Silberstadt; and Acton had often wondered why her husband
wished to get rid of her. It was a curious position for a lady--
this being known as a repudiated wife; and it is worthy of observation
that the Baroness carried it off with exceeding grace and dignity.
She had made it felt, from the first, that there were two sides
to the question, and that her own side, when she should choose
to present it, would be replete with touching interest.
|
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 Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde: [Exit PARKER. The music in the ball-room stops.] Gone out of her
house! A letter addressed to her husband! [Goes over to bureau
and looks at letter. Takes it up and lays it down again with a
shudder of fear.] No, no! It would be impossible! Life doesn't
repeat its tragedies like that! Oh, why does this horrible fancy
come across me? Why do I remember now the one moment of my life I
most wish to forget? Does life repeat its tragedies? [Tears
letter open and reads it, then sinks down into a chair with a
gesture of anguish.] Oh, how terrible! The same words that twenty
years ago I wrote to her father! and how bitterly I have been
punished for it! No; my punishment, my real punishment is to-
|
