| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: the trees, or floated down the blood-stained streams. Law and order
were at an end. Bands of robbers prowled in open day, and bands of
wolves likewise. But all through the horrors of the troubles we
catch sight of the little fat doctor riding all unarmed to see his
patients throughout Languedoc; going vast distances, his biographers
say, by means of regular relays of horses, till he too broke down.
Well, for him, perhaps, that he broke down when he did; for capture
and recapture, massacre and pestilence, were the fate of Montpellier
and the surrounding country, till the better times of Henry IV. and
the Edict of Nantes in 1598, when liberty of worship was given to
the Protestants for awhile.
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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 Virginian by Owen Wister: morning breath of the earth that was fragrant with woodland
moisture and with the pines. After the meal he could not prevent
her helping him make everything clean. Then, by all customs of
mountain journeys, it was time they should break camp and be
moving before the heat of the day. But first, they delayed for no
reason, save that in these hours they so loved to do nothing. And
next, when with some energy he got upon his feet and declared he
must go and drive the horses in, she asked, Why? Would it not be
well for him to fish here, that they might be sure of trout at
their nooning? And though he knew that where they should stop for
noon, trout would be as sure as here, he took this chance for
The Virginian |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm: the pig off the wheel-barrow, drove it away, holding it by the string
that was tied to its leg.
So on he jogged, and all seemed now to go right with him: he had met
with some misfortunes, to be sure; but he was now well repaid for all.
How could it be otherwise with such a travelling companion as he had
at last got?
The next man he met was a countryman carrying a fine white goose. The
countryman stopped to ask what was o'clock; this led to further chat;
and Hans told him all his luck, how he had so many good bargains, and
how all the world went gay and smiling with him. The countryman than
began to tell his tale, and said he was going to take the goose to a
Grimm's Fairy Tales |
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 Pierre Grassou by Honore de Balzac: charming to our poor Pierre Grassou, so little accustomed to such
compliments. The honest artist, that atrocious mediocrity, that heart
of gold, that loyal soul, that stupid draughtsman, that worthy fellow,
decorated by royalty itself with the Legion of honor, put himself
under arms to go out to Ville d'Avray and enjoy the last fine days of
the year. The painter went modestly by public conveyance, and he could
not but admire the beautiful villa of the bottle-dealer, standing in a
park of five acres at the summit of Ville d'Avray, commanding a noble
view of the landscape. Marry Virginie, and have that beautiful villa
some day for his own!
He was received by the Vervelles with an enthusiasm, a joy, a
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