| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: command, he had been met with a refusal, or obtained it only to
his own shame and confusion of face, before a cloud of
witnesses."
CXI
Others may fence themselves with walls and houses, when they
do such deeds as these, and wrap themselves in darkness--aye,
they have many a device to hide themselves. Another may shut his
door and station one before his chamber to say, if any comes, He
has gone forth! he is not at leisure! But the true Cynic will
have none of these things; instead of them, he must wrap himself
in Modesty: else he will but bring himself to shame, naked and
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Domestic Peace by Honore de Balzac: game. Dear heaven! for a triumph of vanity some poor virtuous soul is
murdered--for there really are virtuous women, child,--and we may make
ourselves mortally hated. I learned, a little too late, that, as the
Duc d'Albe once said, one salmon is worth a thousand frogs! A genuine
affection certainly brings a thousand times more happiness than the
transient passions we may inspire.--Well, I came here on purpose to
preach to you; yes, you are the cause of my appearance in this house,
which stinks of the lower class. Have I not just seen actors here?
Formerly, my dear, we received them in our boudoir; but in the
drawing-room--never!--Why do you look at me with so much amazement?
Listen to me. If you want to play with men, do not try to wring the
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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 Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: house; there he had a stall directly opposite to my box, where he
could gaze at me in naive ecstasy--oh! it was pretty! On leaving
either house I always found him planted in the lobby, motionless; he
was elbowed and jostled, but he never moved. His eyes grew less
brilliant if he saw me on the arm of some favorite. But not a word,
not a letter, no demonstration. You must acknowledge that was in good
taste. Sometimes, on getting home late at night, I found him sitting
upon one of the stone posts of the porte-cochere. This lover of mine
had very handsome eyes, a long, thick, fan-shaped beard, with a
moustache and side-whiskers; nothing could be seen of his skin but his
white cheek-bones, and a noble forehead; it was truly an antique head.
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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 New Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson: Come to me, all ye that labour; come, and I will give ye rest.
Fear no more, O doubting hearted; weep no more, O weeping eye!
Lo, the voice of your redeemer; lo, the songful morning near.
Here one hour you toil and combat, sin and suffer, bleed and die;
In my father's quiet mansion soon to lay your burden by.
Bear a moment, heavy laden, weary hand and weeping eye.
Lo, the feet of your deliverer; lo, the hour of freedom here.
VARIANT FORM OF THE PRECEDING POEM
COME to me, all ye that labour; I will give your spirits rest;
Here apart in starry quiet I will give you rest.
Come to me, ye heavy laden, sin defiled and care opprest,
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