| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: shout was heard outside.
And then in came the sons of the heroes, AEneas, and
Heracles, and Peleus, and many another mighty name.
And great Cheiron leapt up joyfully, and his hoofs made the
cave resound, as they shouted, 'Come out, Father Cheiron;
come out and see our game.' And one cried, 'I have killed
two deer;' and another, 'I took a wild cat among the crags;'
and Heracles dragged a wild goat after him by its horns, for
he was as huge as a mountain crag; and Coeneus carried a
bear-cub under each arm, and laughed when they scratched and
bit, for neither tooth nor steel could wound him.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: d'Otrante, go to the Hotel de Ville."' There's a precedent for you!"
Du Bruel. "Let me just write that down; I can use it in a vaudeville.
--But to go back to what we were saying. I don't want to put 'Monsieur
le baron,' because I am reserving his honors till the last, when they
rained upon him."
Bixiou. "Oh! very good; that's theatrical,--the finale of the
article."
Du Bruel [continuing]. "'In appointing Monsieur de la Billardiere
gentleman-in-ordinary--'"
Bixiou. "Very ordinary!"
Du Bruel. "'--of the Bedchamber, the King rewarded not only the
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: and complexion, belonging to the "interesting" class of women,
where that class merges in the sickly, her greatest pleasure being
apparently to enjoy nothing. Opposite this pair sat two little
girls in white hats and blue feathers.
The lady saw Elfride, smiled and bowed, and touched her husband's
elbow, who turned and received Elfride's movement of recognition
with a gallant elevation of his hat. Then the two children held
up their arms to Elfride, and laughed gleefully.
'Who is that?'
'Why, Lord Luxellian, isn't it?' said Mrs. Swancourt, who with the
vicar had been seated with her back towards them.
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
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 A Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare: Upon her head a platted hive of straw,
Which fortified her visage from the sun,
Whereon the thought might think sometime it saw
The carcase of a beauty spent and done.
Time had not scythed all that youth begun,
Nor youth all quit; but, spite of Heaven's fell rage
Some beauty peeped through lattice of sear'd age.
Oft did she heave her napkin to her eyne,
Which on it had conceited characters,
Laund'ring the silken figures in the brine
That season'd woe had pelleted in tears,
|
