| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Duchesse de Langeais by Honore de Balzac: Tuileries and the Elysee-Bourbon; it was the sensation of the
day, the matter of all the talk from noon till night. Almost
everywhere the women denied the facts, but in such a manner that
the report was confirmed; the men one and all believed it, and
manifested a most indulgent interest in Mme de Langeais. Some
among them threw the blame on Armand.
"That savage of a Montriveau is a man of bronze," said they;
"he insisted on making this scandal, no doubt."
"Very well, then," others replied, "Mme de Langeais has been
guilty of a most generous piece of imprudence. To renounce the
world and rank, and fortune, and consideration for her lover's
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: and toil, we imagine that we achieve the utmost that is possible; while he,
who, from a distance, looks on and commands, believes that he requires
only the possible. O ye kings! I had not thought it could have galled me
thus. It is so sweet to reign!--and to abdicate? I know not how my father
could do so; but I will also.
Machiavel appears in the back-ground
Regent. Approach, Machiavel. I am thinking over this letter from my
brother.
Machiavel. May I know what it contains?
Regent. As much tender consideration for me as anxiety for his states. He
extols the firmness, the industry, the fidelity, with which I have hitherto
Egmont |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Pocket Diary Found in the Snow by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: soon as they had hoped. Perhaps the search must be made in the
direction from which she had been brought.
Muller turned back towards the city again. He walked more quickly
now, but his eyes took in everything to the right and to the left
of his path. Near the place where the street divided a bush waved
its bare twigs in the wind. The snow which had settled upon it
early in the day had been blown away by the freshening wind, and
just as Muller neared the bush he saw something white fluttering
from one twig. It was a handkerchief, which had probably hung
heavy and lifeless when he had passed that way before. Now when
the wind held it out straight, he saw it at once. He loosened it
|
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 Bunner Sisters by Edith Wharton: "Jest as sure as I live. She must be broke. I'll go and
see."
Evelina laid down the hat she was trimming, and took the clock
from its shelf.
"There--I knew it! She's wound jest as TIGHT--what you
suppose's happened to her, Ann Eliza?"
"I dunno, I'm sure," said the elder sister, wiping her
spectacles before proceeding to a close examination of the clock.
With anxiously bent heads the two women shook and turned it,
as though they were trying to revive a living thing; but it
remained unresponsive to their touch, and at length Evelina laid it
|
