| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Taras Bulba and Other Tales by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: tightly drawn tarred ropes. In the waggon were flasks and casks of
good old wine, which had long lain in Taras's cellar. He had brought
it along, in case a moment should arrive when some deed awaited them
worthy of being handed down to posterity, so that each Cossack, to the
very last man, might quaff it, and be inspired with sentiments fitting
to the occasion. On receiving his command, the servants hastened to
the waggon, hewed asunder the stout ropes with their swords, removed
the thick wolf-skins and horsecloths, and drew forth the flasks and
casks.
"Take them all," said Bulba, "all there are; take them, that every one
may be supplied. Take jugs, or the pails for watering the horses; take
Taras Bulba and Other Tales |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rezanov by Gertrude Atherton: was an admirable foil.
Rezanov, wondering at the subtle change in
Concha, bowed ceremoniously and murmured:
"You will give me the first dance, senorita?"
"Certainly, Excellency. Are you not the guest
of honor?"
She motioned to the Indian musicians, fiddles
and guitars fairly leaped to position, and in a mo-
ment Rezanov enjoyed the novel delusion of en-
circling a girl's floating wraith.
"We can waltz, you see! Are you not sur-
Rezanov |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from La Grande Breteche by Honore de Balzac: of her death, in the state in which it might be at the time of her
death, forbidding any one, whoever he might be, to enter the
apartments, prohibiting any repairs whatever, and even settling a
salary to pay watchmen if it were needful to secure the absolute
fulfilment of her intentions. At the expiration of that term, if the
will of the testatrix has been duly carried out, the house is to
become the property of my heirs, for, as you know, a notary cannot
take a bequest. Otherwise la Grande Breteche reverts to the heirs-at-
law, but on condition of fulfilling certain conditions set forth in a
codicil to the will, which is not to be opened till the expiration of
the said term of fifty years. The will has not been disputed, so----'
La Grande Breteche |
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 Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: unfaithfulness he had lived through miserably already; that state
was painful, but he could understand it. If his wife had then, on
declaring to him her unfaithfulness, left him, he would have been
wounded, unhappy, but he would not have been in the hopeless
position--incomprehensible to himself--in which he felt himself
now. He could not now reconcile his immediate past, his
tenderness, his love for his sick wife, and for the other man's
child with what was now the case, that is with the fact that, as
it were, in return for all this he now found himself alone, put
to shame, a laughing-stock, needed by no one, and despised by
every one.
Anna Karenina |
