| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: '"I did not know you were so fond of priests, Marquise," says
the Vicomte. His lady did my washing, as I've told you.
'"I have my reasons," says the Marquise. "He sent my uncle
and my two brothers to Heaven by the little door," - that was one
of the emigre names for the guillotine. "He will be on the winning
side if it costs him the blood of every friend he has in the world."
'"Then what does he want here?" says one of 'em. "We have
all lost our game."
'"My faith!" says the Marquise. "He will find out, if any one
can, whether this canaille of a Washington means to help us to
fight England. Genet" (that was my Ambassador in the Embuscade)
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the strata had slipped down a matter of twenty feet.
The result was that the continuation of my ledge lay twenty
feet below me, where it ended as abruptly as did the end
upon which I stood.
And here, evidently halted in flight by this insurmountable
break in the ledge, stood the object of the creature's
attack--a girl cowering upon the narrow platform,
her face buried in her arms, as though to shut out the
sight of the frightful death which hovered just above her.
The dragon was circling lower, and seemed about to dart
in upon its prey. There was no time to be lost,
At the Earth's Core |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: like them.
"Well," she said, "I have read your plea in favor of beasts; but how
did two so well adapted to understand each other end?"
"Ah, well! you see, they ended as all great passions do end--by a
misunderstanding. For some reason ONE suspects the other of treason;
they don't come to an explanation through pride, and quarrel and part
from sheer obstinacy."
"Yet sometimes at the best moments a single word or a look is enough--
but anyhow go on with your story."
"It's horribly difficult, but you will understand, after what the old
villain told me over his champagne. He said--'I don't know if I hurt
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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 Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: from the upper to the lower town across the usually peaceful street of
the little village; thus rumors spread easily and rapidly in
Montegnac. All the gardens, which were full of fruit-trees, cabbages,
onions, and other vegetables, had bee-hives along their terraces.
Another line of houses, running down from the main street to the
river, the course of which was outlined by thriving little fields of
hemp and the sorts of fruit trees which like moisture, lay parallel
with the upper town; some of the houses, that of the post-house, for
instance, were in a hollow, and were well-situated for certain kinds
of work, such as weaving. Nearly all of them were shared by walnut-
trees, the tree /par excellence/ of strong soils.
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