| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: power of every great truth of beauty to prevail ultimately, and take
its right place in usefulness and honour; and I strove to bring the
painter's work into this due place, while the painter was yet alive.
But he knew, better than I, the uselessness of talking about what
people could not see for themselves. He always discouraged me
scornfully, even when he thanked me--and he died before even the
superficial effect of my work was visible. I went on, however,
thinking I could at least be of use to the public, if not to him, in
proving his power. My books got talked about a little. The prices
of modern pictures, generally, rose, and I was beginning to take
some pleasure in a sense of gradual victory, when, fortunately or
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: of the bags as he spoke, counted out a hundred and forty francs,
and pushed them towards Mme. Vauquer. "Short reckonings make good
friends" he added, turning to the widow; "that clears our
accounts till the end of the year. Can you give me change for a
five-franc piece?"
"Good friends make short reckonings," echoed Poiret, with a
glance at Vautrin.
"Here is your franc," said Rastignac, holding out the coin to the
sphinx in the black wig.
"Any one might think that you were afraid to owe me a trifle,"
exclaimed this latter, with a searching glance that seemed to
Father Goriot |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: morality of the age. I remember, however, the contempt and
disgust which awoke in me at the sight of this scandalous
chaperoning. Her face, too, was inexpressibly virginal in its
expression of innocence and of melancholy suffering. She was like
a figure of Resignation.
One day the girl's face was transfigured. In the midst of all the
debauches mapped out by her mother, it seemed to her as if God
had left over for her one happiness. And why indeed should God,
who had made her without strength, have left her without
consolation, under the sorrowful burden of her life? One day,
then, she realized that she was to have a child, and all that
Camille |
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 Hiero by Xenophon: troubles as are common to the life of man in Lethe's bowl;[4] or
ofttimes till we had steeped our souls in song and dance[5] and
revelry; ofttimes till the flame of passion kindled in the breasts of
my companions and my own.[6] But now, welladay, I am deprived of those
who took delight in me, because I have slaves instead of friends as my
companions; I am robbed of my once delightful intercourse with them,
because I discern no vestige of goodwill towards me in their looks.
And as to the wine-cup and slumber--these I guard against, even as a
man might guard against an ambuscade. Think only! to dread a crowd, to
dread solitude, to dread the absence of a guard, to dread the very
guards that guard, to shrink from having those about one's self
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