| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: Now doe you know the reason of this hast?
Fri. I would I knew not why it should be slow'd.
Looke sir, here comes the Lady towards my Cell.
Enter Iuliet.
Par. Happily met, my Lady and my wife
Iul. That may be sir, when I may be a wife
Par. That may be, must be Loue, on Thursday next
Iul. What must be shall be
Fri. That's a certaine text
Par. Come you to make confession to this Father?
Iul. To answere that, I should confesse to you
Romeo and Juliet |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: nothing, digesting one of those exquisite dinners to which the
provincial looks forward all through the day, found himself justifying
the customs of the country.
He began to understand why these good folk continued to play with
yesterday's pack of cards and shuffle them on a threadbare tablecloth,
and how it was that they had ceased to dress for themselves or others.
He saw the glimmerings of something like a philosophy in the even
tenor of their perpetual round, in the calm of their methodical
monotony, in their ignorance of the refinements of luxury. Indeed, he
almost came to think that luxury profited nothing; and even now, the
city of Paris, with its passions, storms, and pleasures, was scarcely
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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 Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: princess in marriage for his brother.
Difficulties regarding this desired union now arose. The young
lady, having been bred in great simplicity and ignorance, had
never heard of such a country as England, or such a person as the
Duke of York; and therefore had no mind to adventure herself in a
distant land, or wed a man of whom she knew nought. Moreover,
she had betrayed an inclination to spend her days in the
seclusion of a convent, and had no thought of marriage. Her
mother, the Duchess of Modena, then regent, by reason of her
husband's death and her son's minority, was anxious for so
advantageous an alliance. And being unable to gain her
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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 Odyssey by Homer: Then Athene, daughter of Zeus, drew near them in the
likeness of Mentor, in fashion and in voice. And the
steadfast goodly Odysseus beheld her and was glad, and
straightway he spake to Telemachus his dear son:
'Telemachus, soon shalt thou learn this, when thou thyself
art got to the place of the battle where the best men try
the issue,--namely, not to bring shame on thy father's
house, on us who in time past have been eminent for might
and hardihood over all the world.'
Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Thou shalt see
me, if thou wilt, dear father, in this my mood no whit
The Odyssey |
