| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: and let there be peace. It is nought to me, nought to the
Thing-that-should-never-have-been-born."
Thus he rambled on, as it occurred to me who watched and
listened, talking against time. For I observed that while he
spoke a cloud was passing over the face of the moon, and that
when he ceased speaking it was quite obscured by this cloud, so
that the Vale of Bones was plunged in a deep twilight that was
almost darkness. Further, in a nervous kind of way, he did
something more to his wizard's fire which again caused it to
throw out a fan of smoke that hid him and the execution rock in
front of which he sat.
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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 Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: above the marsh for the space of about a hundred yards, affording
an esplanade of dry turf, which extended itself in the immediate
neighbourhood of the tower; but, beyond which, the surface
presented to strangers was that of an impassable and dangerous
bog. The owner of the tower and his inmates alone knew the
winding and intricate paths, which, leading over ground that was
comparatively sound, admitted visitors to his residence. But
among the party which were assembled under Earnscliff's
directions, there was more than one person qualified to act as a
guide. For although the owner's character and habits of life
were generally known, yet the laxity of feeling with respect to
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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 The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: "You see, my dear fellow, that I am not afraid of a duel," he said
with comical gravity, as he looked at Monsieur Longueville.
"Nor am I," replied the young man, promptly cocking his pistol; he
aimed at the hole made by the Comte's bullet, and sent his own close
to it.
"That is what I call a well-educated man," cried the admiral with
enthusiasm.
During this ride with the youth, whom he already regarded as his
nephew, he found endless opportunities of catechizing him on all the
trifles of which a perfect knowledge constituted, according to his
private code, an accomplished gentleman.
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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 La Grande Breteche by Honore de Balzac: And this is the queer part of the story: he brought back the
Spaniard's clothes, which he had found under a big stone on a sort of
breakwater along the river bank, nearly opposite la Grande Breteche.
My husband went so early that no one saw him. After reading the
letter, he burnt the clothes, and, in obedience to Count Feredia's
wish, we announced that he had escaped.
" 'The sub-prefect set all the constabulary at his heels; but, pshaw!
he was never caught. Lepas believed that the Spaniard had drowned
himself. I, sir, have never thought so; I believe, on the contrary,
that he had something to do with the business about Madame de Merret,
seeing that Rosalie told me that the crucifix her mistress was so fond
La Grande Breteche |
