| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pierrette by Honore de Balzac: judicial form was left to float in the vile mess called in legal
parlance the calendar. The case was made to drag through the delays
and the interminable labyrinths of the law, by the shufflings of an
unprincipled lawyer; and during all this time the calumniated girl
languished in the agony of the worst pain known to science.
Monsieur Martener, together with the Auffray family, were soon charmed
by the beauty of Pierrette's nature and the character of her old
grandmother, whose feelings, ideas, and ways bore the stamp of Roman
antiquity,--this matron of the Marais was like a woman in Plutarch.
Doctor Martener struggled bravely with death, which already grasped
its prey. From the first, Bianchon and the hospital surgeon had
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: will go on.
At all events, what we see at the beginning of all known and half-
known history, is not savagery, but high civilisation, at least of
an outward and material kind. Do you demur? Then recollect, I pray
you, that the three oldest peoples known to history on this planet
are Egypt, China, Hindostan. The first glimpses of the world are
always like those which the book of Genesis gives us; like those
which your own continent gives us. As it was 400 years ago in
America, so it was in North Africa and in Asia 4000 years ago, or
40,000 for aught I know. Nay, if anyone should ask--And why not
400,000 years ago, on Miocene continents long sunk beneath 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 The School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: but has been ruined by a series of undeserved misfortunes--and now
lately coming over to solicit the assistance of his friends here--
has been flyng [flung] into prison by some of his Creditors--
where he is now with two helpless Boys.--
SIR OLIVER. Aye and a worthy Fellow too I remember him. But what
is this to lead to--?
ROWLEY. You shall hear--He has applied by letter both to Mr. Surface
and Charles--from the former he has received nothing but evasive
promises of future service, while Charles has done all that his
extravagance has left him power to do--and He is at this time
endeavouring to raise a sum of money--part of which, in the midst of
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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 Schoolmistress and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov: were singing as though they were on the stage:
"We go on, and on, and on! . . . You are in the warmth, in the
light and snugness, but we are walking in the frost and the
storm, through the deep snow. . . . We know nothing of ease, we
know nothing of joy. . . . We bear all the burden of this life,
yours and ours. . . . Oo-oo-oo! We go on, and on, and on. . . ."
Lyzhin woke and sat up in bed. What a confused, bad dream! And
why did he dream of the constable and the agent together? What
nonsense! And now while Lyzhin's heart was throbbing violently
and he was sitting on his bed, holding his head in his hands, it
seemed to him that there really was something in common between
The Schoolmistress and Other Stories |
