| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dreams by Olive Schreiner: across the blue, blue water, were towns and villages, hanging white and red
dots, upon the mountain-sides, and the blue mountains rose up into the sky,
and now stood out from it and now melted back again.
The mountains seemed calling to me, but I knew there would never be a
bridge built from them to me; never, never, never! I shaded my eyes with
my hand and turned away. I could not bear to look at them.
I walked through the ruined Chapel, and looked at the Christ in red
carrying his cross, and the Blessed rubbed-out Bambino, and the Roman
soldiers, and the folded hands, and the reed; and I went and sat down in
the open porch upon a stone. At my feet was the small bay, with its white
row of houses buried among the olive trees; the water broke in a long,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence: "Yes," he said.
"Then," she replied, "we must all do the best we can for it, lad."
The next time he looked up there were tears in his eyes.
"I don't want Annie to feel handicapped," he said, struggling.
"My lad," she said, "you're steady--you've got a decent place.
If a man had NEEDED me I'd have married him on his last week's wages.
She may find it a bit hard to start humbly. Young girls ARE like that.
They look forward to the fine home they think they'll have.
But I had expensive furniture. It's not everything."
So the wedding took place almost immediately. Arthur came home,
and was splendid in uniform. Annie looked nice in a dove-grey
Sons and Lovers |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde: A girl with a simple, unspoiled nature, like Gwendolen, could
hardly be expected to reside in the country.
JACK. Well, I own a house in Belgrave Square, but it is let by the
year to Lady Bloxham. Of course, I can get it back whenever I
like, at six months' notice.
LADY BRACKNELL. Lady Bloxham? I don't know her.
JACK. Oh, she goes about very little. She is a lady considerably
advanced in years.
LADY BRACKNELL. Ah, nowadays that is no guarantee of
respectability of character. What number in Belgrave Square?
JACK. 149.
|
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 Adieu by Honore de Balzac: each reasoner, play, love, ambition, hidden disorders, and vices,
explained the catastrophe, the last scene of a drama begun in 1812.
Two men alone, a marquis and former deputy, and an aged physician,
knew that Philippe de Sucy was one of those strong men to whom God has
given the unhappy power of issuing daily in triumph from awful combats
which they fight with an unseen monster. If, for a moment, God
withdraws from such men His all-powerful hand, they succumb.
ADDENDUM
The following personage appears in other stories of the Human Comedy.
Note: Adieu is also entitled Farewell.
Granville, Vicomte de
|
