| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Some Reminiscences by Joseph Conrad: From the morning bath to the evening ceremonies of the cot you
attend, old friend, the little two-legged creature of your
adoption, being yourself treated in the exercise of your duties
with every possible regard, with infinite consideration, by every
person in the house--even as I myself am treated; only you
deserve it more. The general's daughter would tell you that it
must be "perfectly delightful."
Aha! old dog. She never heard you yelp with acute pain (it's
that poor left ear) the while, with incredible self-command, you
preserve a rigid immobility for fear of overturning the little
two-legged creature. She has never seen your resigned smile when
Some Reminiscences |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: writer; Pindar alone could give it forth to humanity in Greek that
should rekindle the dying warmth of friendship in the world.
Put the names of Fritz and Wilheim beside those of Damon and Pythias,
Castor and Pollux, Orestes and Pylades, Dubreuil and Pmejah, Schmucke
and Pons, and all the names that we imagine for the two friends of
Monomotapa, for La Fontaine (man of genius though he was) has made of
them two disembodied spirits--they lack reality. The two new names may
join the illustrious company, and with so much the more reason, since
that Wilhelm who had helped to drink Fritz's inheritance now
proceeded, with Fritz's assistance, to devour his own substance;
smoking, needless to say, every known variety of tobacco.
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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 Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: 'Weel, what about her? what do I ken?' cries Haddo.
'M'Brair, ye daft auld wife, I tell ye as true's truth, I
never meddled her. It was just daffing, I tell ye: daffing,
and nae mair: a piece of fun, like! I'm no denying but what
I'm fond of fun, sma' blame to me! But for onything sarious
- hout, man, it might come to a deposeetion! I'll sweir it
to ye. Where's a Bible, till you hear me sweir?'
'There is nae Bible in your study,' said M'Brair severely.
And Haddo, after a few distracted turns, was constrained to
accept the fact.
'Weel, and suppose there isna?' he cried, stamping. 'What
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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 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: short, I began now to have some use for my tongue again, which,
indeed, I had very little occasion for before. Besides the
pleasure of talking to him, I had a singular satisfaction in the
fellow himself: his simple, unfeigned honesty appeared to me more
and more every day, and I began really to love the creature; and on
his side I believe he loved me more than it was possible for him
ever to love anything before.
I had a mind once to try if he had any inclination for his own
country again; and having taught him English so well that he could
answer me almost any question, I asked him whether the nation that
he belonged to never conquered in battle? At which he smiled, and
Robinson Crusoe |
