| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: golden-brown color of a Havana cigar, eyes of fire, Armenian eyelids
with lashes of very un-British length, hair blacker than black; and
under this almost olive skin, sinews of extraordinary strength and
feverish alertness. She looked at Rodolphe with amazing curiosity and
effrontery, watching his every movement.
"To whom does that little Moresco belong?" he asked worthy Madame
Bergmann.
"To the English," Monsieur Bergmann replied.
"But she never was born in England!"
"They may have brought her from the Indies," said Madame Bergmann.
"I have been told that Miss Lovelace is fond of music. I should be
 Albert Savarus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: Being in doubt, some counsel from a person
Who seeth, and uprightly wills, and loves:
"Well see I, father mine, how spurreth on
The time towards me such a blow to deal me
As heaviest is to him who most gives way.
Therefore with foresight it is well I arm me,
That, if the dearest place be taken from me,
I may not lose the others by my songs.
Down through the world of infinite bitterness,
And o'er the mountain, from whose beauteous summit
The eyes of my own Lady lifted me,
 The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |