| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rescue by Joseph Conrad: or a play of feature, as if she had spoken from behind the veil
of an immense indifference stretched between her and all men,
between her heart and the meaning of events, between her eyes and
the shallow sea which, like her gaze, appeared profound, forever
stilled, and seemed, far off in the distance of a faint horizon,
beyond the reach of eye, beyond the power of hand or voice, to
lose itself in the sky.
Mr. Travers stepped aside, and speaking to Carter, overwhelmed
him with reproaches.
"You misunderstood your instructions," murmured Mr. Travers
rapidly. "Why did you bring this man here? I am surprised--"
The Rescue |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Simple Soul by Gustave Flaubert: contrary, he rather liked the bird, and, out of devilry, tried to
teach him oaths. Felicite, whom his manner alarmed, put Loulou in the
kitchen, took off his chain and let him walk all over the house.
When he went downstairs, he rested his beak on the steps, lifted his
right foot and then his left one; but his mistress feared that such
feats would give him vertigo. He became ill and was unable to eat.
There was a small growth under his tongue like those chickens are
sometimes afflicted with. Felicite pulled it off with her nails and
cured him. One day, Paul was imprudent enough to blow the smoke of his
cigar in his face; another time, Madame Lormeau was teasing him with
the tip of her umbrella and he swallowed the tip. Finally he got lost.
A Simple Soul |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau by Honore de Balzac: time is gold, especially to you artists. I permit myself to say to you
that architecture is the union of all the arts. We will not enter
through the shop," he added, opening the private door of his house.
Four years earlier Monsieur Grindot had carried off the /grand prix/
in architecture, and had lately returned from Rome where he had spent
three years at the cost of the State. In Italy the young man had
dreamed of art; in Paris he thought of fortune. Government alone can
pay the needful millions to raise an architect to glory; it is
therefore natural that every ambitious youth of that calling,
returning from Rome and thinking himself a Fontaine or a Percier,
should bow before the administration. The liberal student became a
Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau |
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 Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard: waved it in token of farewell. A powerful light shot into his eyes
when he saw my hand close on the leaf.
"May I come and see you?" he asked, abruptly. "I will."
"I shall say neither 'No' or 'Yes.'"
He rode on at a quick pace, and I walked homeward forgetting the
sense of liberty I had started with, and proceeded straightway to
Aunt Eliza.
"I have not been to church, aunt, but to walk beyond the town;
it was not so nominated in the bond, but I went. The taste of
freedom was so pleasant that I warn you there is danger of my
'striking.' When will you have done with Newport?"
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