| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: hope or such a plan. Circumstances alone inspired their audacity. The
two cardinals and the two Balafres were four ambitious minds, superior
in talents to all the other politicians who surrounded them. This
family was never really brought low except by Henri IV.; a factionist
himself, trained in the great school of which Catherine and the Guises
were masters,--by whose lessons he had profited but too well.
At this moment the two brothers, the duke and cardinal, were the
arbiters of the greatest revolution attempted in Europe since that of
Henry VIII. in England, which was the direct consequence of the
invention of printing. Adversaries to the Reformation, they meant to
stifle it, power being in their hands. But their opponent, Calvin,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Father Sergius by Leo Tolstoy: old, withered, wrinkled Praskovya Mikhaylovna, mother-in-law of
that failure, the drunken official Mavrikyev. She was living in
the country town where he had had his last appointment, and there
she was supporting the family: her daughter, her ailing
neurasthenic son-in-law, and her five grandchildren. She did
this by giving music lessons to tradesmen's daughters, giving
four and sometimes five lessons a day of an hour each, and
earning in this way some sixty rubles (6 pounds) a month. So
they lived for the present, in expectation of another
appointment. She had sent letters to all her relations and
acquaintances asking them to obtain a post for her son-in-law,
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: breaking upon the shore we had left behind. And when the returning
gust filled them again, we saw with amazement half of the new
mainsail, which we thought fit to drive the boat under before
giving way, absolutely fly out of the bolt-ropes. We lowered the
yard at once, and saved it all, but it was no longer a sail; it was
only a heap of soaked strips of canvas cumbering the deck and
weighting the craft. Dominic gave the order to throw the whole lot
overboard.
I would have had the yard thrown overboard, too, he said, leading
me aft again, "if it had not been for the trouble. Let no sign
escape you," he continued, lowering his voice, "but I am going to
The Mirror of the Sea |
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 Men of Iron by Howard Pyle: stream, and so it was settled that if the need should arise for
Myles to do a bit of fighting, the others should stand by to see
that he had fair play.
"When thinkest thou that thou wilt take thy stand against them,
Myles?" asked Wilkes.
Myles hesitated a moment. "To-morrow," said he, grimly.
Several of the lads whistled softly.
Gascoyne was prepared for an early opening of the war, but
perhaps not for such an early opening as this. "By 'r Lady,
Myles, thou art hungry for brawling," said he.
CHAPTER 13
Men of Iron |
