| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte: fancied the discontent of age and disease arose from his family
disagreements; as he would have it that it did: really, you know,
sir, it was in his sinking frame. We might have got on tolerably,
notwithstanding, but for two people - Miss Cathy, and Joseph, the
servant: you saw him, I daresay, up yonder. He was, and is yet
most likely, the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee that ever
ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the
curses to his neighbours. By his knack of sermonising and pious
discoursing, he contrived to make a great impression on Mr.
Earnshaw; and the more feeble the master became, the more influence
he gained. He was relentless in worrying him about his soul's
Wuthering Heights |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Emma by Jane Austen: a fine complexion gave beauty to them all; and where they were good,
the effect was--fortunately he need not attempt to describe what the
effect was.
"Well," said Emma, "there is no disputing about taste.--At least
you admire her except her complexion."
He shook his head and laughed.--"I cannot separate Miss Fairfax
and her complexion."
"Did you see her often at Weymouth? Were you often in the same society?"
At this moment they were approaching Ford's, and he hastily exclaimed,
"Ha! this must be the very shop that every body attends every day
of their lives, as my father informs me. He comes to Highbury himself,
Emma |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Salome by Oscar Wilde: prophete l'a bien predit. Il a predit que la lune deviendrait rouge
comme du sang. N'est-ce pas qu'il a predit cela? Vous l'avez tous
entendu. La lune est devenue rouge comme du sang. Ne le voyez-vous
pas?
HERODIAS. Je le vois bien, et les etoiles tombent comme des figues
vertes, n'est-ce pas? Et le soleil devient noir comme un sac de
poil, et les rois de la terre ont peur. Cela au moins on le voit.
Pour une fois dans sa vie le prophete a eu raison. Les rois de la
terre ont peur . . . Enfin, rentrons. Vous etes malade. On va dire
e Rome que vous etes fou. Rentrons, je vous dis.
LA VOIX D'IOKANAAN. Qui est celui qui vient d'Edom, qui vient de
|
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 Complete Poems of Longfellow by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "Wrapt in visions, lost in dreaming,
At the banquet sat Osseo;
All were merry, all were happy,
All were joyous but Osseo.
Neither food nor drink he tasted,
Neither did he speak nor listen;
But as one bewildered sat he,
Looking dreamily and sadly,
First at Oweenee, then upward
At the gleaming sky above them.
"Then a voice was heard, a whisper,
|
