| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Anthem by Ayn Rand: found in a place of wonders, which must
have been the cooking room of the house.
We did this work alone, for no words
of ours could take the Golden One away
from the big glass which is not glass.
They stood before it and they looked
and looked upon their own body.
When the sun sank beyond the mountains,
the Golden One fell asleep on the floor,
amidst jewels, and bottles of crystal,
and flowers of silk. We lifted the Golden
Anthem |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: was touched by this liberality, and made her a present of six thousand
francs a year in the funds as conscience money. As the Comtesse de
Soulas had an income of forty-eight thousand francs from her own
lands, and was quite incapable of alienating them in order to diminish
Rosalie's share, Mademoiselle de Watteville was still a fortune to
marry, of eighteen hundred thousand francs; les Rouxey, with the
Baron's additions, and certain improvements, might yield twenty
thousand francs a year, besides the value of the house, rents, and
preserves. So Rosalie and her mother, who soon adopted the Paris style
and fashions, easily obtained introductions to the best society. The
golden key--eighteen hundred thousand francs-- embroidered on
Albert Savarus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: pleased was he with the man's skill that he ran away and brought
several of his fellows.
There sat the Red Ryl, the Black Ryl, the Green Ryl, the Blue Ryl and
the Yellow Ryl in a circle on the floor, while Claus whittled and
whistled and the wooden cat grew into shape.
"If it could be made the same color as the real cat, no one would know
the difference," said the Yellow Ryl, thoughtfully.
"The little ones, maybe, would not know the difference," replied
Claus, pleased with the idea.
"I will bring you some of the red that I color my roses and tulips
with," cried the Red Ryl; "and then you can make the cat's lips and
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
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 Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac: Renard, two officers living in the Rome suburb, were friends to
Maxence Gilet "through thick and thin," Major Mignonnet and Captain
Carpentier took sides with the bourgeoisie, and thought his conduct
unworthy of a man of honor.
Major Mignonnet, a lean little man, full of dignity, busied himself
with the problems which the steam-engine requires us to solve, and
lived in a modest way, taking his social intercourse with Monsieur and
Madame Carpentier. His gentle manners and ways, and his scientific
occupations won him the respect of the whole town; and it was
frequently said of him and of Captain Carpentier that they were "quite
another thing" from Major Potel and Captain Renard, Maxence, and other
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