| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lucile by Owen Meredith: No career had he follow'd, no object obtain'd
In the world by those worldly advantages gain'd
From nuptials beyond which once seem'd to appear,
Lit by love, the broad path of a brilliant career.
All that glitter'd and gleam'd through the moonlight of youth
With a glory so fair, now that manhood in truth
Grasp'd and gather'd it, seem'd like that false fairy gold
Which leaves in the hand only moss, leaves, and mould!
V.
Fairy gold! moss and leaves! and the young Fairy Bride?
Lived there yet fairy-lands in the face at his side?
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: so great indeed that what she was to see further was how he turned
away before he was attended to, and hung off, waiting, smoking,
looking about the shop; how he went over to Mr. Cocker's own
counter and appeared to price things, gave in fact presently two or
three orders and put down money, stood there a long time with his
back to her, considerately abstaining from any glance round to see
if she were free. It at last came to pass in this way that he had
remained in the shop longer than she had ever yet known to do, and
that, nevertheless, when he did turn about she could see him time
himself--she was freshly taken up--and cross straight to her postal
subordinate, whom some one else had released. He had in his hand
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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 A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: the wrist to the rails of some altar, and peremptorily marrying
her. Decisive action is seen by appreciative minds to be
frequently objectless, and sometimes fatal; but decision, however
suicidal, has more charm for a woman than the most unequivocal
Fabian success.
However, some of the unpleasant accessories of that occasion were
now out of sight again, and Stephen had resumed not a few of his
fancy colours.
Chapter XIII
'He set in order many proverbs.'
It is London in October--two months further on in the story.
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
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 Dust by Mr. And Mrs. Haldeman-Julius: be rather general among married people, and reasoned his way to
the conclusion that marriage was a good thing in that it drove
out passion and placed human animals on a more practicable
foundation. If there had been the likelihood of children, he
undoubtedly would have sought her from time to time, but with
that hope out of their lives the attraction died completely.
When he was through with his work, it was late and he was sleepy.
When he woke early in the morning, he had to hurry to his stock.
So that which always had been less than secondary, now became
completely quiescent, and he was satisfied that it should. It
never occurred to him to consider what Rose might be thinking and
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