| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: womenkind. To them the whole sex, from queens of France to milliners,
are essentially depraved, licentious, intriguing, not a little
rascally, fundamentally deceitful, and incapable of thought about
anything but trifles. To them, women are evil-doing queens, who must
be allowed to dance and sing and laugh as they please; they see
nothing sacred or saintly in them, nor anything grand; to them there
is no poetry in the senses, only gross sensuality. Where such
jurisprudence prevails, if a woman is not perpetually tyrannized over,
she reduces the man to the condition of a slave. Under this aspect du
Bousquier was again the antithesis of the chevalier. When he made his
final remark, he flung his night-cap to the foot of the bed, as Pope
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Emma by Jane Austen: Emma was as much pleased with her manners as her person, and quite
determined to continue the acquaintance.
She was not struck by any thing remarkably clever in Miss Smith's
conversation, but she found her altogether very engaging--not
inconveniently shy, not unwilling to talk--and yet so far from pushing,
shewing so proper and becoming a deference, seeming so pleasantly
grateful for being admitted to Hartfield, and so artlessly
impressed by the appearance of every thing in so superior a style
to what she had been used to, that she must have good sense,
and deserve encouragement. Encouragement should be given.
Those soft blue eyes, and all those natural graces, should not be
Emma |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Under the Red Robe by Stanley Weyman: bottom of this. And, besides, I felt a natural curiosity. When
Clon at last improved his pace, and went on to the village, I
took up his task. I called to mind all the wood-lore I had ever
learned, and scanned trodden mould and crushed leaves with eager
eyes. But in vain. I could make nothing of it all, and rose at
last with an aching back and no advantage.
I did not go on to the village after that, but returned to the
house, where I found Madame pacing the garden. She looked up
eagerly on hearing my step; and I was mistaken if she was not
disappointed--if she had not been expecting someone else. She
hid the feeling bravely, however, and met me with a careless
|
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 The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: rooting in the mud, and I'll do it if you are not
careful."
"I think you are mistaken about that," said the
Scarecrow, and rising from his throne he walked with
wobbling steps to the side of the Wicked Witch. "Before I
left the Land of Oz, Glinda the Royal Sorceress gave me a
box, which I was not to open except in an emergency. But
I feel pretty sure that this occasion is an emergency;
don't you, Trot?" he asked, turning toward the little
girl.
"Why, we've got to do something," replied Trot
The Scarecrow of Oz |
