| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: bargains; but he possessed the three qualifications for success--a
stag's legs, an idler's disregard of time, and the patience of a Jew.
This system, carried out for forty years, in Rome or Paris alike, had
borne its fruits. Since Pons returned from Italy, he had regularly
spent about two thousand francs a year upon a collection of
masterpieces of every sort and description, a collection hidden away
from all eyes but his own; and now his catalogue had reached the
incredible number of 1907. Wandering about Paris between 1811 and
1816, he had picked up many a treasure for ten francs, which would
fetch a thousand or twelve hundred to-day. Some forty-five thousand
canvases change hands annually in Paris picture sales, and these Pons
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Damnation of Theron Ware by Harold Frederic: confused exchange of glances and a murmured word or two.
The tall stranger, who drew aside to let him pass,
had acted as if he expected to be introduced.
Theron, emerging into the hall, leaned against the wall
and looked dreamily at the priest, who had stepped out with him.
"I am very sorry to learn that you are in trouble, Mr. Ware,"
Father Forbes said, gently enough, but in hurried tones.
"Miss Madden is also in trouble. I mentioned to you
that her brother had got into a serious scrape. I have
brought my old friend, General Brady, to consult with her
about the matter. He knows all the parties concerned,
The Damnation of Theron Ware |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: measure a man from head to foot, and leave him crushed and
annihilated.
"Madame, I have unwittingly plunged a dagger into Mme. de
Restaud's heart; unwittingly--therein lies my offence," said the
student of law, whose keen brain had served him sufficiently
well, for he had detected the biting epigrams that lurked beneath
this friendly talk. "You continue to receive, possibly you fear,
those who know the amount of pain that they deliberately inflict;
but a clumsy blunderer who has no idea how deeply he wounds is
looked upon as a fool who does not know how to make use of his
opportunities, and every one despise him."
Father Goriot |
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 Enemies of Books by William Blades: of books now either unknown entirely, or of the greatest rarity;
when you find the Colophon from the end, or the "insigne typographi"
from the first leaf of a rare "fifteener," pasted down with dozens of others,
varying in value, you cannot bless the memory of the antiquarian shoemaker,
John Bagford. His portrait, a half-length, painted by Howard, was engraved
by Vertue, and re-engraved for the Bibliographical Decameron.
A bad example often finds imitators, and every season there crop up
for public sale one or two such collections, formed by bibliomaniacs,
who, although calling themselves bibliophiles, ought really to be ranked
among the worst enemies of books.
The following is copied from a trade catalogue, dated April, 1880, and affords
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