| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: overcome by a sort of religious contrition. He knelt down upon the
sand and made a vow:--
"I swear to build a chapel to Saint-Jean and Saint-Etienne, the
patrons of my wife and son, and to found one hundred masses in honor
of the Virgin, if God and the saints will restore to me the affection
of my son, the Duc de Nivron, here present."
He remained on his knees in deep humility with clasped hands, praying.
Finding that his son, the hope of his name, still did not come to him,
great tears rose in his eyes, dry so long, and rolled down his
withered cheeks. At this moment, Etienne, hearing no further sounds,
glided to the opening of his grotto like a young adder craving the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: [8] Or, "and the man who knows how to manage such a creature
gracefully himself at once appears magnificent."
If the possessor of so rare a creature should find himself by chance
in the position of a squadron leader or a general of cavalry, he must
not confine his zeal to the development of his personal splendour, but
should study all the more to make the troop or regiment a splendid
spectacle. Supposing (in accordance with the high praise bestowed upon
the type of animal)[9] the leader is mounted on a horse which with his
high airs and frequent prancing makes but the slightest movement
forward--obviously the rest of the troop must follow at a walking
pace, and one may fairly ask where is the element of splendour in the
On Horsemanship |
