| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: exhibited neither piety nor honour. Mindful of this, he placed
his nieces under the immediate supervision of Madame de Venelle,
who was directed to have the closest guard over them. A story
related by the duchess shows in what manner this lady's duty was
carried out, and what unexpected results attended it on one
occasion.
When the court visited Lyons, in the year 1658, the cardinal's
nieces and their governess lodged in a commodious mansion in one
of the public squares. "Our chamber windows, which opened
towards the market-place," writes Hortensia, "were low enough for
one to get in with ease. Madame de Venelle was so used to her
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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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: Dwarf, smiling maliciously, "and thus they speak in their folly.
Have you marked the young cub of a wild cat that has been
domesticated, how sportive, how playful, how gentle,--but trust
him with your game, your lambs, your poultry, his inbred ferocity
breaks forth; he gripes, tears, ravages, and devours."
"Such is the animal's instinct," answered Earnscliff; "but what
has that to do with Hobbie?"
"It is his emblem--it is his picture," retorted the Recluse. "He
is at present tame, quiet, and domesticated, for lack of
opportunity to exercise his inborn propensities; but let the
trumpet of war sound--let the young blood-hound snuff blood, he
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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 Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: them all to vie with the deep voice of Big Ben.
I looked out from the cab window across the river to where, towering above
the Embankment, that place of a thousand tragedies, the light of some
of London's greatest caravanserais formed a sort of minor constellation.
From the subdued blaze that showed the public supper-rooms I looked
up to the hundreds of starry points marking the private apartments
of those giant inns.
I thought how each twinkling window denoted the presence of some
bird of passage, some wanderer temporarily abiding in our midst.
There, floor piled upon floor above the chattering throngs,
were these less gregarious units, each something of a mystery
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
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 In the Cage by Henry James: "Lots of swells. They flock. They live, you know, all round, and
the place is filled with all the smart people, all the fast people,
those whose names are in the papers--mamma has still The Morning
Post--and who come up for the season."
Mrs. Jordan took this in with complete intelligence. "Yes, and I
dare say it's some of your people that I do."
Her companion assented, but discriminated. "I doubt if you 'do'
them as much as I! Their affairs, their appointments and
arrangements, their little games and secrets and vices--those
things all pass before me."
This was a picture that could make a clergyman's widow not
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