| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: feeling and generosity were entirely excluded, and she pressed the
Duchess' hand, while thanking her by one of those smiles which have a
certain childlike grace.
"My dear child," the old lady said in her ear, "remember henceforth
that we are just as capable of repelling a man's attentions as of
attracting them."
"She is yours if you are not a simpleton." These words were whispered
into Colonel Montcornet's ear by Madame de Lansac, while the handsome
Countess was still absorbed in compassion at the sight of Soulanges,
for she still loved him truly enough to wish to restore him to
happiness, and was promising herself in her own mind that she would
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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 Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: over her, which made her unhappy. After I had stolen the Magnet from
her, only one young man continued to love the girl, and she married
him and regained her happiness."
"Are you sorry you stole it?" asked the Princess.
"No, your Highness; I'm glad," he answered; "for it has pleased me to
be loved, and if Dorothy had not cared for me I could not have
accompanied her to this beautiful Land of Oz, or met its kind-hearted
Ruler. Now that I'm here, I hope to remain, and to become one of your
Majesty's most faithful subjects."
"But in Oz we are loved for ourselves alone, and for our kindness to
one another, and for our good deeds," she said.
The Road to Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Summer by Edith Wharton: determined to find out why he was poking about among
her books.
"Miss Hatchard's house? Yes--she's my cousin and I'm
staying there," the young man answered; adding, as if
to disarm a visible distrust: "My name is Harney--
Lucius Harney. She may have spoken of me."
"No, she hasn't," said Charity, wishing she could have
said: "Yes, she has."
"Oh, well----" said Miss Hatchard's cousin with a
laugh; and after another pause, during which it
occurred to Charity that her answer had not been
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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 Salome by Oscar Wilde: Assyriens, qui ont des baudriers sur les reins, et sur la tete des
tiares de differentes couleurs? Ou est celle qui s'est abandonnee
aux jeunes hommes d'Egypte qui sont vetus de lin et d'hyacinthe, et
portent des boucliers d'or et des casques d'argent, et qui ont de
grand corps? Dites-lui de se lever de la couche de son impudicite,
de sa couche incestueuse, afin qu'elle puisse entendre les paroles
de celui qui prepare la voie du Seigneur; afin qu'elle se repente de
ses peches. Quoiqu'elle ne se repentira jamais, mais restera dans
ses abominations, dites-lui de venir, car le Seigneur a son fleau
dans la main.
SALOME. Mais il est terrible, il est terrible.
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