| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: splendid specimens of its race. She was three feet high and four feet
long without counting her tail; this powerful weapon, rounded like a
cudgel, was nearly three feet long. The head, large as that of a
lioness, was distinguished by a rare expression of refinement. The
cold cruelty of a tiger was dominant, it was true, but there was also
a vague resemblance to the face of a sensual woman. Indeed, the face
of this solitary queen had something of the gaiety of a drunken Nero:
she had satiated herself with blood, and she wanted to play.
The soldier tried if he might walk up and down, and the panther left
him free, contenting herself with following him with her eyes, less
like a faithful dog than a big Angora cat, observing everything and
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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 Son of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the penalty for a deed, which, while not beyond them, they
were, nevertheless, not guilty of. Panting and bloody, Korak
paused for want of further victims. The baboons gathered about
him, sated themselves with blood and battle. They lolled upon
the ground, fagged.
In the distance Kovudoo was gathering his scattered tribesmen,
and taking account of injuries and losses. His people were
panic stricken. Nothing could prevail upon them to remain longer
in this country. They would not even return to the village for
their belongings. Instead they insisted upon continuing their
flight until they had put many miles between themselves and the
The Son of Tarzan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: children. Such conversations gave one semblance the more to our
transitory marriage. With what delight she encouraged me to take a
husband's place, giving me his seat at table, sending me to talk with
the bailiff,--all in perfect innocence, yet not without that inward
pleasure the most virtuous woman in the world will feel when she finds
a course where strict obedience to duty and the satisfaction of her
wishes are combined.
Nullified, as it were, by illness, the count no longer oppressed his
wife or his household, the countess then became her natural self; she
busied herself with my affairs and showed me a thousand kindnesses.
With what joy I discovered in her mind a thought, vaguely conceived
The Lily of the Valley |
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 Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: of justifying myself will excuse my vanity, when I tell the
reader that I have near a hundred honorary letters from several
parts of Europe (some as far as Muscovy) in praise of my
performance. Besides several others, which, as I have been
credibly informed, were open'd in the post-office and never sent
me. 'Tis true the Inquisition in Portugal was pleased to burn my
predictions, and condem the author and readers of them; but I
hope at the same time, it will be consider'd in how deplorable a
state learning lies at present in that kingdom: And with the
profoundest veneration for crown'd heads, I will presume to add,
that it a little concerned His Majesty of Portugal, to interpose
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