| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the
gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth
too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches
and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in very
times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and
great adversity; though this latter hath been less
observed: both which times kindle love, and make
it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the
child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but
admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it
wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of
Essays of Francis Bacon |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Secret Places of the Heart by H. G. Wells: and bees certainly seem to rage, but if one comes to think,
most of the invertebrata show very few signs of it."
"I'm not so sure," said Sir Richmond. "I've never seen a
snail in a towering passion or an oyster slamming its shell
behind it. But these are sluggish things. Oysters sulk, which
is after all a smouldering sort of rage. And take any more
active invertebrate. Take a spider. Not a smashing and
swearing sort of rage perhaps, but a disciplined, cold-
blooded malignity. Crabs fight. A conger eel in a boat will
rage dangerously."
"A vertebrate. Yes. But even among the vertebrata; who has
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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 Chouans by Honore de Balzac: stones to the house. Hearing the sound of musketry that was evidently
coming nearer, she jumped from stone to stone, as if crossing a
rivulet, to ask shelter. The house was closed by a door opening in two
parts; the lower one of wood, heavy and massive, the upper one a
shutter which served as a window. In many of the smaller towns of
France the shops have the same type of door though far more decorated,
the lower half possessing a call-bell. The door in question opened
with a wooden latch worthy of the golden age, and the upper part was
never closed except at night, for it was the only opening through
which daylight could enter the room. There was, to be sure, a clumsy
window, but the glass was thick like the bottom of a bottle, and the
The Chouans |
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 A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: him to tempt the future, and he conceived the wild hope of continuing
on good terms with the panther during the entire day, neglecting no
means of taming her, and remaining in her good graces.
He returned to her, and had the unspeakable joy of seeing her wag her
tail with an almost imperceptible movement at his approach. He sat
down then, without fear, by her side, and they began to play together;
he took her paws and muzzle, pulled her ears, rolled her over on her
back, stroked her warm, delicate flanks. She let him do what ever he
liked, and when he began to stroke the hair on her feet she drew her
claws in carefully.
The man, keeping the dagger in one hand, thought to plunge it into the
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