| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: seclude himself daily and think of her who had been his
treasure--the joy of his existence.
But life soon became a struggle. His income, which in the hands
of his wife had covered all household expenses, was now no longer
sufficient for his own immediate wants; and he wondered how she
could have managed to buy such excellent wines, and such rare
delicacies, things which he could no longer procure with his
modest resources.
He incurred some debts and was soon reduced to absolute poverty.
One morning, finding himself without a cent in his pocket, he
resolved to sell something, and, immediately, the thought
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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 Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: "Teach me what would give you pleasure, and I will give you all you
can desire. Grow strong! be well! I will show you how to ride a mare
as pretty and gentle as yourself. Nothing shall ever thwart or trouble
you. Tete-Dieu! all things bow to me as the reeds to the wind. I give
you unlimited power. I bow to you myself as the god of the family."
The father carried his son into the lordly chamber where the mother's
sad existence had been spent. Etienne turned away and leaned against
the window from which his mother was wont to make him signals
announcing the departure of his persecutor, who now, without his
knowing why, had become his slave, like those gigantic genii which the
power of a fairy places at the order of a young prince. That fairy was
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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 Father Sergius by Leo Tolstoy: The time was long past when he had lived alone doing everything
for himself and eating only rye-bread, or rolls prepared for the
Church. He had been advised long since that he had no right to
neglect his health, and he was given wholesome, though Lenten,
food. He ate sparingly, though much more than he had done, and
often he ate with much pleasure, and not as formerly with
aversion and a sense of guilt. So it was now. He had some
gruel, drank a cup of tea, and ate half a white roll.
The attendant went away, and Father Sergius remained alone under
the elm tree.
It was a wonderful May evening, when the birches, aspens, elms,
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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 The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: gauntlets on to the front seat before I entered the inn. As I
drew on the right one, I felt a sheet of paper in its cuff. I
plucked it out, wondering. It had been torn from the
writing-block, and bore the message I had written for Falcon the
night before. The signature was Evelyn Fairie, and underneath
had been added, "Castle Charing, Somerset. With my love."
I slipped it into my pocket and started the car.
"And how did Jilly get on?" I said abstractedly, as we rolled
down the street.
"Oh, Boy," she cried, "it was so funny. I'm sure they took me
for somebody else. There was a lovely big room all ready and
The Brother of Daphne |
