| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Coxon Fund by Henry James: Saltram. There were limits after all, and my mark at last had been
reached.
I had had my disgusts, if I may allow myself to-day such an
expression; but this was a supreme revolt. Certain things cleared
up in my mind, certain values stood out. It was all very well to
have an unfortunate temperament; there was nothing so unfortunate
as to have, for practical purposes, nothing else. I avoided George
Gravener at this moment and reflected that at such a time I should
do so most effectually by leaving England. I wanted to forget
Frank Saltram--that was all. I didn't want to do anything in the
world to him but that. Indignation had withered on the stalk, and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: way through the tortuous streets which at that time separated the
cathedral from the Chancellerie, a fine building recently erected by
the Chancellor Juvenal des Ursins, on the site of an old fortification
given by Charles VII. to that faithful servant as a reward for his
glorious labors.
The count reached at last the rue du Murier, in which his dwelling,
called the hotel de Poitiers, was situated. When his escort of
servants had entered the courtyard and the heavy gates were closed, a
deep silence fell on the narrow street, where other great seigneurs
had their houses, for this new quarter of the town was near to
Plessis, the usual residence of the king, to whom the courtiers, if
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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 Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: because he was of free parentage (for that, indeed, was not the
case), but because he was himself free. He had cast away every
handle whereby slavery might lay hold of him to enslave him, nor
was it possible for any to approach and take hold of him to
enslave him. All things sat loose upon him--all things were to
him attached by but slender ties. Hadst thou siezed upon his
possessions, he would rather have let them go than have followed
thee for them--aye, had it been even a limb, or mayhap his whole
body; and in like manner, relatives, friends, and country. For he
knew whence they came--from whose hands and on what terms he had
received them. His true forefathers, the Gods, his true Country,
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
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 Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: whatever her father chose to do he'd perfectly understand. In fact,
nothing short of desperation, nothing short of the fact that this was
positively his last day in England for God knows how long, would have
screwed him up to it. And even now...He chose a tie out of the chest of
drawers, a blue and cream check tie, and sat on the side of his bed.
Supposing she replied, "What impertinence!" would he be surprised? Not in
the least, he decided, turning up his soft collar and turning it down over
the tie. He expected her to say something like that. He didn't see, if he
looked at the affair dead soberly, what else she could say.
Here he was! And nervously he tied a bow in front of the mirror, jammed
his hair down with both hands, pulled out the flaps of his jacket pockets.
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