| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: in which he had a part.
CHAPTER II
FERRAGUS
A fine thing is the task of a spy, when performed for one's own
benefit and in the interests of a passion. Is it not giving ourselves
the pleasure of a thief and a rascal while continuing honest men? But
there is another side to it; we must resign ourselves to boil with
anger, to roar with impatience, to freeze our feet in the mud, to be
numbed, and roasted, and torn by false hopes. We must go, on the faith
of a mere indication, to a vague object, miss our end, curse our luck,
improvise to ourselves elegies, dithyrambics, exclaim idiotically
Ferragus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: the inn, unless you are a little sour'd by the adventure, there is
always a matter to compound at the door, before you can get into
your chaise; and that is with the sons and daughters of poverty,
who surround you. Let no man say, "Let them go to the devil!" -
'tis a cruel journey to send a few miserables, and they have had
sufferings enow without it: I always think it better to take a few
sous out in my hand; and I would counsel every gentle traveller to
do so likewise: he need not be so exact in setting down his motives
for giving them; - They will be registered elsewhere.
For my own part, there is no man gives so little as I do; for few,
that I know, have so little to give; but as this was the first
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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 She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith: HARDCASTLE. Above three months.
TONY. Then you'll see the first use I'll make of my liberty. (Taking
MISS NEVILLE's hand.) Witness all men by these presents, that I,
Anthony Lumpkin, Esquire, of BLANK place, refuse you, Constantia
Neville, spinster, of no place at all, for my true and lawful wife. So
Constance Neville may marry whom she pleases, and Tony Lumpkin is his
own man again.
SIR CHARLES. O brave 'squire!
HASTINGS. My worthy friend!
MRS. HARDCASTLE. My undutiful offspring!
MARLOW. Joy, my dear George! I give you joy sincerely. And could I
She Stoops to Conquer |
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 Heroes by Charles Kingsley: Then one, 'There are new rulers in Olympus, and all new
things are bad.' And another, 'We hate your rulers, and the
heroes, and all the children of men. We are the kindred of
the Titans, and the Giants, and the Gorgons, and the ancient
monsters of the deep.' And another, 'Who is this rash and
insolent man who pushes unbidden into our world?' And the
first, 'There never was such a world as ours, nor will be; if
we let him see it, he will spoil it all.'
Then one cried, 'Give me the eye, that I may see him;' and
another, 'Give me the tooth, that I may bite him.' But
Perseus, when he saw that they were foolish and proud, and
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