| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert: In the middle of the night squalls of wind arose. Hamilcar had the
soldiers roused, but not a trumpet was sounded: their captain tapped
them softly on the shoulder.
A man of lofty stature went down into the water. It did not come up to
his girdle; it was possible to cross.
The Suffet ordered thirty-two of the elephants to be posted in the
river a hundred paces further on, while the others, lower down, would
check the lines of men that were carried away by the current; and
holding their weapons above their heads they all crossed the Macaras
as though between two walls. He had noticed that the western wind had
driven the sand so as to obstruct the river and form a natural
Salammbo |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from At the Sign of the Cat & Racket by Honore de Balzac: fatal idea suggested to her to seek counsel and comfort in the bosom
of her family.
So one morning she made her way towards the grotesque facade of the
humble, silent home where she had spent her childhood. She sighed as
she looked up at the sash-window, whence one day she had sent her
first kiss to him who now shed as much sorrow as glory on her life.
Nothing was changed in the cavern, where the drapery business had,
however, started on a new life. Augustine's sister filled her mother's
old place at the desk. The unhappy young woman met her brother-in-law
with his pen behind his ear; he hardly listened to her, he was so full
of business. The formidable symptoms of stock-taking were visible all
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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 Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: "Well, well, that is your own affair. You are busy. I leave you now.
Let us dine this evening at the Caf‚ de Foy. Kersain will be of the
party."
"A moment!" Andre-Louis' voice arrested him on the threshold. "Is
Mlle. de Kercadiou with her uncle?"
"How the devil should I know? Go and find out."
He was gone, and Andre-Louis stood there a moment deep in thought.
Then he turned and went back to resume with his pupil, the Vicomte
de Villeniort, the interrupted exposition of the demi-contre of
Danet, illustrating with a small-sword the advantages to be derived
from its adoption.
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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 Concerning Christian Liberty by Martin Luther: and as great ones as possible, all is well with them, and they
are justified. Sometimes they even injure their brain, and
extinguish nature, or at least make it useless. This is enormous
folly, and ignorance of Christian life and faith, when a man
seeks, without faith, to be justified and saved by works.
To make what we have said more easily understood, let us set it
forth under a figure. The works of a Christian man, who is
justified and saved by his faith out of the pure and unbought
mercy of God, ought to be regarded in the same light as would
have been those of Adam and Eve in paradise and of all their
posterity if they had not sinned. Of them it is said, "The Lord
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