| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: these days. When experience lurks behind so sweet a face as yours it
may achieve wonders. In the first place, have you not the gift of
recognizing virtue in the greater or smaller dimensions of a man's
body? This is no small matter! To so wise a young person as you are, I
need not enlarge on all the difficulties of the enterprise. I am sure
that you would never attribute good sense to a stranger because he had
a handsome face, or all the virtues because he had a fine figure. And
I am quite of your mind in thinking that the sons of peers ought to
have an air peculiar to themselves, and perfectly distinctive manners.
Though nowadays no external sign stamps a man of rank, those young men
will have, perhaps, to you the indefinable something that will reveal
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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 Riverman by Stewart Edward White: indeed, he had taken the measure of every other man with whom he did
or was likely to do business.
"Heinzman," said he abruptly, "my partner wants to raise seventy-
five thousand dollars for his personal use. I have agreed to get
him that money from the firm."
Heinzman sat immovable, his round eyes blinking behind his big
spectacles.
"Proceed," said he shrewdly.
"As security in case he cannot pay the notes the firm will have to
give, he has signed an agreement to turn over to me his undivided
one-half interest in our enterprises."
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: or a hundred years ago. On the window seat lay a bundle, neatly
done up in brown paper, the direction of which I had the idle
curiosity to read. "MISS SUSAN HUGGINS, at the PROVINCE HOUSE." A
pretty chambermaid, no doubt. In truth, it is desperately hard
work, when we attempt to throw the spell of hoar antiquity over
localities with which the living world, and the day that is
passing over us, have aught to do. Yet, as I glanced at the
stately staircase down which the procession of the old governors
had descended, and as I emerged through the venerable portal
whence their figures had preceded me, it gladdened me to be
conscious of a thrill of awe. Then, diving through the narrow
Twice Told 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 Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: Mount Mezenc and the borders of Ardeche, I began an improving
acquaintance with the foreman road-mender. He was in great glee at
having me with him, passed me off among his subalterns as the
supervising engineer, and insisted on what he called 'the gallantry'
of paying for my breakfast in a roadside wine-shop. On the whole, he
was a man of great weather-wisdom, some spirits, and a social temper.
But I am afraid he was superstitious. When he was nine years old, he
had seen one night a company of BOURGEOIS ET DAMES QUI FAISAIENT LA
MANEGE AVEC DES CHAISES, and concluded that he was in the presence of
a witches' Sabbath. I suppose, but venture with timidity on the
suggestion, that this may have been a romantic and nocturnal picnic
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