| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pierre Grassou by Honore de Balzac: grand theatrical effect,--the opening of the picture gallery
illuminated by lamps, the reflections of which were managed with the
utmost care. Three neighbours, also retired merchants, an old uncle
(from whom were expectations), an elderly Demoiselle Vervelle, and a
number of other guests invited to be present at this ovation to a
great artist followed Grassou into the picture gallery, all curious to
hear his opinion of the famous collection of pere Vervelle, who was
fond of oppressing them with the fabulous value of his paintings. The
bottle-merchant seemed to have the idea of competing with King Louis-
Philippe and the galleries of Versailles.
The pictures, magnificently framed, each bore labels on which was read
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Polity of Athenians and Lacedaemonians by Xenophon: the public cost a large number of victims; but it is the People that
keeps holiday and distributes the victims by lot amongst its members.
Rich men have in some cases private gymnasia and baths with dressing-
rooms,[9] but the People takes care to have built at the public
cost[10] a number of palaestras, dressing-rooms, and bathing
establishments for its own special use, and the mob gets the benefit
of the majority of these, rather than the select few or the well-to-
do.
[8] Reading with Kirchhoff, {istasthai}.
[9] See Jebb, "Theophr. Char." vii. 18, p. 202.
[10] Reading with Kirchhoff, {demosia}.
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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 The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: cannot speak freely of her?"
D'Arthez kept silence. D'Esgrignon, who was not wanting in cleverness,
replied to Rastignac's speech with an apologetic portrait of the
princess, which put the whole table in good humor. As the jest was
extremely obscure to d'Arthez he leaned towards his neighbor, Madame
de Montcornet, and asked her, in a whisper, what it meant.
"Excepting yourself--judging by the excellent opinion you seem to have
of the princess--all the other guests are said to have been in her
good graces."
"I can assure you that such an accusation is absolutely false," said
Daniel.
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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 Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: merited the praises of the oldest knights. It was in the thick of this
fierce fight that Maille, saved by the said Lavalliere, with whom he
had had a quarrel or two, perceived that this gentleman had a noble
heart. As they had each received slashes in the doublets, they
baptised their fraternity with their blood, and were ministered to
together in one and the same bed under the tent of Monsieur de
Montmorency their master. It is necessary to inform you that, contrary
to the custom of his family, which was always to have a pretty face,
the Cadet of Maille was not of a pleasing physiognomy, and had
scarcely any beauty but that of the devil. For the rest he was lithe
as a greyhound, broad shouldered and strongly built as King Pepin, who
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
