| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: slipping along in the dark, and now and then she
would belch a whole world of sparks up out of her
chimbleys, and they would rain down in the river and
look awful pretty; then she would turn a corner and
her lights would wink out and her powwow shut off
and leave the river still again; and by and by her
waves would get to us, a long time after she was gone,
and joggle the raft a bit, and after that you wouldn't
hear nothing for you couldn't tell how long, except
maybe frogs or something.
After midnight the people on shore went to bed,
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: our sins, you and I, without saying to whom the letters belonged, nor
to whom they were going. I was in the wrong; I alone am guilty."
"Mademoiselle has been crying?" said Mariette.
"Yes, but I do not want that my mother should perceive it; give me
some very cold water."
In the midst of the storms of her passion Rosalie often listened to
the voice of conscience. Touched by the beautiful fidelity of these
two hearts, she had just said her prayers, telling herself that there
was nothing left to her but to be resigned, and to respect the
happiness of two beings worthy of each other, submissive to fate,
looking to God for everything, without allowing themselves any
Albert Savarus |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield: Oh, the relief, the difference it made to have the man out of the house.
Their very voices were changed as they called to one another; they sounded
warm and loving and as if they shared a secret. Beryl went over to the
table. "Have another cup of tea, mother. It's still hot." She wanted,
somehow, to celebrate the fact that they could do what they liked now.
There was no man to disturb them; the whole perfect day was theirs.
"No, thank you, child," said old Mrs. Fairfield, but the way at that moment
she tossed the boy up and said "a-goos-a-goos-a-ga!" to him meant that she
felt the same. The little girls ran into the paddock like chickens let out
of a coop.
Even Alice, the servant-girl, washing up the dishes in the kitchen, caught
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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 A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: "receptions of welcome," were recorded on this imposing register.
The day after the arrival of each neophyte, the little sub-clerk (the
errand-boy and "gutter-jumper") laid upon the new-comer's desk the
"Archives Architriclino-Basochiennes," and the clerks enjoyed the
sight of his countenance as he studied its facetious pages. Inter
pocula each candidate had learned the secret of the farce, and the
revelation inspired him with the desire to hoax his successor.
We see now why Oscar, become in his turn participator in the hoax,
called out to the little clerk, "Forward, the book!"
Ten minutes later a handsome young man, with a fine figure and
pleasant face, presented himself, asked for Monsieur Desroches, and
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