| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Jolly Corner by Henry James: "And haven't I been unhappy? Am not I - you've only to look at me!
- ravaged?"
"Ah I don't say I like him BETTER," she granted after a thought.
"But he's grim, he's worn - and things have happened to him. He
doesn't make shift, for sight, with your charming monocle."
"No" - it struck Brydon; "I couldn't have sported mine 'down-town.'
They'd have guyed me there."
"His great convex pince-nez - I saw it, I recognised the kind - is
for his poor ruined sight. And his poor right hand - !"
"Ah!" Brydon winced - whether for his proved identity or for his
lost fingers. Then, "He has a million a year," he lucidly added.
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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 Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: thou not study, as Plato saith, to endure, not death alone, but
torture, exile, stripes--in a word, to render up all that is not
thine own? Else thou wilt be a slave amid slaves, wert thou ten
thousand times a consul; aye, not a whit the less, though thou
climb the Palace steps. And thou shalt know how true the saying
of Cleanthes, that though the words of philosophers may run
counter to the opinions of the world, yet have they reason on
their side.
CXLII
Asked how a man should best grieve his enemy, Epictetus
replied, "By setting himself to live the noblest life himself."
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Recruit by Honore de Balzac: mistress was alone.
At sight of the public prosecutor, the old woman, flushed and joyous
as she was, became motionless and livid.
"Who has come?" asked the prosecutor.
"A recruit, whom the mayor has sent to lodge here," replied Brigitte,
showing the billet.
"True," said the prosecutor, reading the paper. "We expect a
detachment to-night."
And he went away.
The countess had too much need at this moment to believe in the
sincerity of her former attorney, to distrust his promise. She mounted
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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 Wrecker by Stevenson & Osbourne: fun as I go along. Here's your first allowance; take it at the
hand of a friend; I'm one that holds friendship sacred as you do
yourself. It's only a hundred francs; you'll get the same every
month, and as soon as my business begins to expand we'll
increase it to something fitting. And so far from it's being a
favour, just let me handle your statuary for the American
market, and I'll call it one of the smartest strokes of business in
my life."
It took me a long time, and it had cost us both much grateful
and painful emotion, before I had finally managed to refuse his
offer and compounded for a bottle of particular wine. He
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