| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Purse by Honore de Balzac: chose to fancy some similarity between himself and her as to
their position, and attributed to her misfortunes of birth akin
to his own. All the time he worked Hippolyte gave himself very
willingly to thoughts of love, and made a great deal of noise to
compel the two ladies to think of him, as he was thinking of
them. He stayed late at the studio and dined there; then, at
about seven o'clock, he went down to call on his neighbors.
No painter of manners has ventured to initiate us--perhaps out of
modesty--into the really curious privacy of certain Parisian
existences, into the secret of the dwellings whence emerge such
fresh and elegant toilets, such brilliant women, who rich on 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 The Economist by Xenophon: my horse and take a canter. I put him through his paces, suiting
these, as far as possible, to those inevitable in war[14]--in other
words, I avoid neither steep slope[15] nor sheer incline, neither
trench nor runnel, only giving my utmost heed the while so as not to
lame my horse while exercising him. When that is over, the boy gives
the horse a roll,[16] and leads him homewards, taking at the same time
from the country to town whatever we may chance to need. Meanwhile I
am off for home, partly walking, partly running, and having reached
home I take a bath and give myself a rub;[17] and then I breakfast--a
repast which leaves me neither empty nor replete,[18] and will suffice
to last me through the day.
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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 Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: peculiar to Parisian squalor, made of dirt, which crusted and spotted
the damp walls, the worm-eaten balusters, the disjointed window-
casings, and the door originally red. Presently the cough of an old
woman, and a heavy female step, shuffling painfully in list slippers,
announced the coming of the mother of Ida Gruget. The creature opened
the door and came out upon the landing, looked up, and said:--
"Ah! is this Monsieur Bocquillon? Why, no? But perhaps you're his
brother. What can I do for you? Come in, monsieur."
Jules followed her into the first room, where he saw, huddled
together, cages, household utensils, ovens, furniture, little
earthenware dishes full of food or water for the dog and the cats, a
Ferragus |
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 Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde: MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Lady Hunstanton, I want to speak to Gerald at
once. Might I see him? Can he be sent for?
LADY HUNSTANTON. Certainly, dear. I will send one of the servants
into the dining-room to fetch him. I don't know what keeps the
gentlemen so long. [Rings bell.] When I knew Lord Illingworth
first as plain George Harford, he was simply a very brilliant young
man about town, with not a penny of money except what poor dear
Lady Cecilia gave him. She was quite devoted to him. Chiefly, I
fancy, because he was on bad terms with his father. Oh, here is
the dear Archdeacon. [To Servant.] It doesn't matter.
[Enter SIR JOHN and DOCTOR DAUBENY. SIR JOHN goes over to LADY
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