| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dream Life and Real Life by Olive Schreiner: "Dear Friend,--I am writing to you, because I know you will rejoice to hear
of my great happiness. Do you remember how you told me that day by the
fire to wait, and after long, long years I should see that all was for the
best? That time has come sooner than we hoped. Last week in Rome I was
married to the best, noblest, most large-hearted of men. We are now in
Florence together. You don't know how beautiful all life is to me. I know
now that the old passion was only a girl's foolish dream. My husband is
the first man I have ever truly loved. He loves me and understands me as
no other man ever could. I am thankful that my dream was broken; God had
better things in store for me. I don't hate that woman any more; I love
every one! How are you, dear? We shall come and see you as soon as we
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Treatise on Parents and Children by George Bernard Shaw: with bribes of paradises and threats of hells, there is only one
belief that can rob death of its sting and the grave of its victory;
and that is the belief that we can lay down the burden of our wretched
little makeshift individualities for ever at each lift towards the
goal of evolution, which can only be a being that cannot be improved
upon. After all, what man is capable of the insane self-conceit of
believing that an eternity of himself would be tolerable even to
himself? Those who try to believe it postulate that they shall be
made perfect first. But if you make me perfect I shall no longer be
myself, nor will it be possible for me to conceive my present
imperfections (and what I cannot conceive I cannot remember); so that
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: for one or two years, and that Lorenzo Marquez and its neighborhood
seemed to be a poisonous place to live in!
The next idea was that we should stop where we were, one which I rather
welcomed, as I should have been glad to abide in peace with Marie until
the six months of probation had gone by.
However, in the end this was rejected for many good reasons. Thus half
a score of white people, of whom four were members of a single family,
were certainly not strong enough to form a settlement, especially as the
surrounding natives might become actively hostile at any moment. Again,
the worst fever season was approaching, in which we should very possibly
all be carried off. Further, we had no breeding cattle or horses, which
Marie |
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 Modeste Mignon by Honore de Balzac: the conclusion of the tale I have invented for my life is possible. To
me wealth would bring greater happiness than to other men; for the
highest happiness I can imagine would be to enrich the one I loved.
You, mademoiselle, who know so many things, tell me if it is possible
for a man to make himself beloved independently of his person, be it
handsome or ugly, and for his spirit only?"
Modeste raised her eyes and looked at Butscha. It was a piercing and
questioning glance; for she shared Dumay's suspicion of Butscha's
motive.
"Let me be rich, and I will seek some beautiful poor girl, abandoned
like myself, who has suffered, who knows what misery is. I will write
Modeste Mignon |
