| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) by Dante Alighieri: If I return to finish the short journey
Of that life which is flying to its end."
And he: "I'll tell thee, not for any comfort
I may expect from earth, but that so much
Grace shines in thee or ever thou art dead.
I was the root of that malignant plant
Which overshadows all the Christian world,
So that good fruit is seldom gathered from it;
But if Douay and Ghent, and Lille and Bruges
Had Power, soon vengeance would be taken on it;
And this I pray of Him who judges all.
The Divine Comedy (translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Baby Mine by Margaret Mayo: Jimmy felt that if this were to go on much longer, he would utter
one wild shriek and give himself up for lost; but at present he
merely swallowed with an effort, and awaited developments.
It was now Alfred's turn to become excited.
"Oh, IS it!" he cried with hysterical laughter.
Aggie regarded him with astonishment. Was this her usually
self-controlled friend?
"Oh, no!" sneered Alfred with unmistakable pity for her
credulity. "That's not why my wife didn't eat luncheon with you.
She may TELL you that's why. She undoubtedly will; but it's NOT
why. Oh, no!" and running his hands through his hair, Alfred
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the
reverence of government is lost. For the motions
of the greatest persons in a government, ought to
be as the motions of the planets under primum
mobile; according to the old opinion: which is,
that every of them, is carried swiftly by the
highest motion, and softly in their own motion.
And therefore, when great ones in their own
particular motion, move violently, and, as Tacitus
expresseth it well, liberius quam ut imperan-
tium meminissent; it is a sign the orbs are out
Essays of Francis Bacon |
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 Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: has one of the largest fortunes in Lombardy. Their villa on the Lago
Maggiore is one of the sights of Italy."
Two days after, Mariette placed the following letter in Mademoiselle
de Watteville's hand:--
Albert Savaron to Leopold Hannequin.
"Yes, 'tis so, my dear friend; I am at Besancon, while you thought
I was traveling. I would not tell you anything till success should
begin, and now it is dawning. Yes, my dear Leopold, after so many
abortive undertakings, over which I have shed the best of my
blood, have wasted so many efforts, spent so much courage, I have
made up my mind to do as you have done--to start on a beaten path,
Albert Savarus |
