| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: GLOSTER.
Talking of hawking; nothing else, my lord.--
[Aside to Cardinal.] Now, by God's mother, priest,
I'll shave your crown for this,
Or all my fence shall fail.
CARDINAL.
[Aside to Gloster.] Medice, teipsum--
Protector, see to 't well, protect yourself.
KING.
The winds grow high; so do your stomachs, lords.
How irksome is this music to my heart!
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: original Conciergerie. However, the kitchens built by Saint-Louis
still exist, forming what is now called the mousetrap; and it is
probable that the original Conciergerie was situated in the place
where, till 1825, the Conciergerie prisons of the Parlement were still
in use, under the archway to the right of the wide outside steps
leading to the supreme Court. From thence, until 1825, condemned
criminals were taken to execution. From that gate came forth all the
great criminals, all the victims of political feeling--the Marechale
d'Ancre and the Queen of France, Semblancay and Malesherbes, Damien
and Danton, Desrues and Castaing. Fouquier-Tinville's private room,
like that of the public prosecutor now, was so placed that he could
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: "You are wrong," objected Jonathas the Sadducee; "the law condemns
such marriages but does not actually forbid them."
"What matters it? All the world shows me injustice," said Antipas,
bitterly; "and why? Did not Absalom lie with his father's wives, Judah
with his daughter-in-law, Ammon with his sister, and Lot with his
daughters?"
Aulus, who had been reposing within the palace, now reappeared in the
court. After he had heard how matters stood, he approved of the
attitude of the tetrarch. "A man should never allow himself to be
annoyed," said he, "by such foolish criticism." And he laughed at the
censure of the priests and the fury of Iaokanann, saying that his
Herodias |
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 Collection of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: did not speak, because they were
going to have a party.
As soon as Duchess had got
round the corner out of sight--she
simply ran! Straight away to
Ribby's house!
Ribby went into the shop and
bought what she required, and
came out, after a pleasant gossip
with Cousin Tabitha Twitchit.
Cousin Tabitha was disdainful
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