| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pierre Grassou by Honore de Balzac: charming to our poor Pierre Grassou, so little accustomed to such
compliments. The honest artist, that atrocious mediocrity, that heart
of gold, that loyal soul, that stupid draughtsman, that worthy fellow,
decorated by royalty itself with the Legion of honor, put himself
under arms to go out to Ville d'Avray and enjoy the last fine days of
the year. The painter went modestly by public conveyance, and he could
not but admire the beautiful villa of the bottle-dealer, standing in a
park of five acres at the summit of Ville d'Avray, commanding a noble
view of the landscape. Marry Virginie, and have that beautiful villa
some day for his own!
He was received by the Vervelles with an enthusiasm, a joy, a
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates by Howard Pyle: to the nature of the communication he had received, he yet
determined in his own mind that he would see the business
through to the end, and would be at Pratt's Ordinary, as the note
demanded, upon the day and at the time specified therein.
Pratt's Ordinary was at that time a very fine and well-known
place of its sort, with good tobacco and the best rum that ever I
tasted, and had a garden behind it that, sloping down to the
harbor front, was planted pretty thick with palms and ferns
grouped into clusters with flowers and plants. Here were a
number of little tables, some in little grottoes, like our
Vauxhall in New York, and with red and blue and white paper
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs: herself that had wounded her more than she had
imagined. Today there had been a glaring example of it
in his having left her alone upon the boat without a
single European companion--something that he would
never have thought of doing a few months before.
As she sat speculating on the strange change which had
come over her father her eyes had wandered aimlessly
along the harbor's entrance; the low reef that
protected it from the sea, and the point of land to the
south, that projected far out into the strait like a
gigantic index finger pointing toward the mainland,
The Monster Men |
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 Adam Bede by George Eliot: entertainment very much as a matter of course, being free from
musical prejudices; but Bartle Massey laid down his pipe and put
his fingers in his ears; and Adam, who had been longing to go ever
since he had heard Dinah was not in the house, rose and said he
must bid good-night.
"I'll go with you, lad," said Bartle; "I'll go with you before my
ears are split."
"I'll go round by the Common and see you home, if you like, Mr.
Massey," said Adam.
"Aye, aye!" said Bartle; "then we can have a bit o' talk together.
I never get hold of you now."
Adam Bede |
