| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Hidden Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac: painter it were necessary to pose to some one else--"
"You are testing me," she interrupted; "you know well that I would not
do it."
Poussin bent his head upon his breast like a man succumbing to joy or
grief too great for his spirit to bear.
"Listen," she said, pulling him by the sleeve of his worn doublet, "I
told you, Nick, that I would give my life for you; but I never said--
never!--that I, a living woman, would renounce my love."
"Renounce it?" cried Poussin.
"If I showed myself thus to another you would love me no longer; and I
myself, I should feel unworthy of your love. To obey your caprices,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tapestried Chamber by Walter Scott: Woodville had attained his purpose of drawing his guest entirely
apart from the rest of the company, when, turning round upon him
with an air of great solemnity, he addressed him thus:--
"Richard Browne, my old and very dear friend, we are now alone.
Let me conjure you to answer me upon the word of a friend, and
the honour of a soldier. How did you in reality rest during last
night?"
"Most wretchedly indeed, my lord," answered the General, in the
same tone of solemnity--"so miserably, that I would not run the
risk of such a second night, not only for all the lands
belonging to this castle, but for all the country which I see
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton: He stopped abruptly, and looked at Susy. She was conscious that
every drop of blood had left her face. She felt it ebbing away
from her heart, flowing out of her as if from all her severed
arteries, till it seemed as though nothing were left of life in
her but one point of irreducible pain.
"Ellie--at your villa? What do you mean? Was it Ellie and
Bockheimer who--?"
Strefford still stared. "You mean to say you didn't know?"
"Who came after Nick and me...?" she insisted.
"Why, do you suppose I'd have turned you out otherwise? That
beastly Bockheimer simply smothered me with gold. Ah, well,
|
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 Hellenica by Xenophon: moment of his return to Thessaly he had reached the zenith of his
greatness. He was the lawfully constituted Prince[27] of Thessaly, and
he had under him a large mercenary force of infantry and cavalry, and
all in the highest perfection of training. For this twofold reason he
might claim the title great. But he was still greater as the head of a
vast alliance. Those who were prepared to fight his battles were
numerous, and he might still count upon the help of many more eager to
do so; but I call Jason greatest among his contemporaries, because not
one among them could afford to look down upon him.[28]
[24] An ancient town in Phocis (see Hom. "Il." ii. 521) on the road
leading from Orchomenus to Opus, and commanding a pass from Locris
|
