| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: to your notions of grandeur. Even that would be such a sacrifice as I
have not hitherto made for either of my children; but they have
generously agreed not to expect in the future any compensation for the
advantage thus given to a too favored child."
"In their position!" said Emilie, with an ironical toss of her head.
"My dear, do not so depreciate those who love you. Only the poor are
generous as a rule; the rich have always excellent reasons for not
handing over twenty thousand francs to a relation. Come, my child, do
not pout, let us talk rationally.--Among the young marrying men have
you noticed Monsieur de Manerville?"
"Oh, he minces his words--he says Zules instead of Jules; he is always
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: delivery, my thoughts then habitually and impatiently putting
themselves into forms fit only for emphatic speech; and thus I am
startled, in my review of them, to find that, though there is much,
(forgive me the impertinence) which seems to me accurately and
energetically said, there is scarcely anything put in a form to be
generally convincing, or even easily intelligible: and I can well
imagine a reader laying down the book without being at all moved by
it, still less guided, to any definite course of action.
I think, however, if I now say briefly and clearly what I meant my
hearers to understand, and what I wanted, and still would fain have,
them to do, there may afterwards be found some better service in the
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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 Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: "The tremendous labor had profited nothing--nothing at least to him
that began it. The very fact that it was left unfinished told of the
unknown worker's death. Unless his devoted toil was to be wasted for
ever, his successor must have some knowledge of Arabic, but I had
studied Oriental languages at the Armenian Convent. A few words
written on the back of the stone recorded the unhappy man's fate; he
had fallen a victim to his great possessions; Venice had coveted his
wealth and seized upon it. A whole month went by before I obtained any
result; but whenever I felt my strength failing as I worked, I heard
the chink of gold, I saw gold spread before me, I was dazzled by
diamonds.--Ah! wait.
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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 Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: eight with his body, and soft, oozy triangles that melted into
squares and five-sided figures, and coiled mounds, never resting,
never hurrying, and never stopping his low humming song. It grew
darker and darker, till at last the dragging, shifting coils
disappeared, but they could hear the rustle of the scales.
Baloo and Bagheera stood still as stone, growling in their
throats, their neck hair bristling, and Mowgli watched and
wondered.
"Bandar-log," said the voice of Kaa at last, "can ye stir foot
or hand without my order? Speak!"
"Without thy order we cannot stir foot or hand, O Kaa!"
The Jungle Book |
