| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: The web is flat at the edges, as far as the unevenness of the
support permits, and gradually hollows into a crater, not unlike
the bell of a hunting-horn. The central portion is a cone-shaped
gulf, a funnel whose neck, narrowing by degrees, dives
perpendicularly into the leafy thicket to a depth of eight or nine
inches.
At the entrance to the tube, in the gloom of that murderous alley,
sits the Spider, who looks at us and betrays no great excitement at
our presence. She is grey, modestly adorned on the thorax with two
black ribbons and on the abdomen with two stripes in which white
specks alternate with brown. At the tip of the belly, two small,
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Brother of Daphne by Dornford Yates: the carriage- an aged member of the House of Lords- after
regarding us with disapproval for ninety miles, had left the
train at the last station. Then my lady had turned to her nice
new dressing- bag and had sought to open it. In vain she had
inserted a key. In vain she had attempted to insert other keys,
obviously too large. Therein she had shown her feminism. I love
to see a woman do a womanly thing. Finally she had sighed and
pushed her dark hair back from her temples with a gesture of
annoyance. The time seeming ripe, I had spoken.
Now I turned to the obstructive wards. All she had done was to
double- lock it, and I had it open in a moment.
The Brother of Daphne |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: friend, your hostess, and your lady-love--more than that, your
servant. My determination is to devote myself to you and efface the
traces of this shame; to cure you by a watch and ward; and if the
learned in these matters declare that the disease has such a hold of
you that it will kill you like our defunct sovereign, I must still
have your company in order to die gloriously in dying of your
complaint. Even then," said she, weeping, "that will not be penance
enough to atone for the wrong I have done you."
These words were accompanied with big tears; her virtuous heart waxed
faint, she fell to the ground exhausted. Lavalliere, terrified, caught
her and placed his hand upon her heart, below a breast of matchless
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
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 Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: few engaging words to Paul which flattered his vanity:--
"Every one gives you Mademoiselle Evangelista. If you marry her you
will do well. You could not find, even in Paris, a more delightful
girl. She is beautiful, graceful, elegant, and takes after the Casa-
Reales through her mother. You will make a charming couple; you have
the same tastes, the same desires in life, and you will certainly have
the most agreeable house in Bordeaux. Your wife need only bring her
night-cap; all is ready for her. You are fortunate indeed in such a
mother-in-law. A woman of intelligence, and very adroit, she will be a
great help to you in public life, to which you ought to aspire.
Besides, she has sacrificed everything to her daughter, whom she
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