| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Some Reminiscences by Joseph Conrad: for me to believe. It was not worthy of your merits? So be it.
But you were always an unlucky man, Almayer. Nothing was ever
quite worthy of you. What made you so real to me was that you
held this lofty theory with some force of conviction and with an
admirable consistency."
It is with some such words translated into the proper shadowy
expressions that I am prepared to placate Almayer in the Elysian
Abode of Shades, since it has come to pass that having parted
many years ago, we are never to meet again in this world.
Chapter V.
In the career of the most unliterary of writers, in the sense
Some Reminiscences |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Master of the World by Jules Verne: Carolina. It was in the depth of this Eyrie that the machine had
found shelter! This was the nest, worthy of the gigantic and powerful
bird created by the genius of our captain! The fortress whose mighty
walls none but he could scale! Perhaps even, he had discovered in the
depths of some cavern, some subterranean passage by which he himself
could quit the Great Eyrie, leaving the "Terror" safely sheltered
within.
At last I saw it all! This explained the first letter sent me from
the Great Eyrie itself with the threat of death. If we had been able
to penetrate into this hollow, who knows if the secrets of the Master
of the World might not have been discovered before he had been able
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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 Kenilworth by Walter Scott: some measure imposed upon thyself, and without ceasing to dupe
others, hast become a species of dupe to thine own imagination.
Blush not for it, man--thou art learned, and shalt have classical
comfort:
'Ne quisquam Ajacem possit superare nisi Ajax.'
No one but thyself could have gulled thee; and thou hast gulled
the whole brotherhood of the Rosy Cross besides--none so deep in
the mystery as thou. But hark thee in thine ear: had the
seasoning which spiced Sussex's broth wrought more surely, I
would have thought better of the chemical science thou dost boast
so highly."
Kenilworth |
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 Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: disguised; her eyes fell before mine, and a faint blush colored her
cheeks.--'The Duke! What do you mean?' she said, affecting great
astonishment.--'I know everything,' replied I; 'and in my opinion, you
should delay no longer; he is rich; he is a duke; but he is more than
devout, he is religious! I am sure, therefore, that you have been
faithful to me, thanks to his scruples. You cannot imagine how
urgently necessary it is that you should compromise him with himself
and with God; short of that you will never bring him to the point.'--
'Is this a dream?' said she, pushing her hair from her forehead,
fifteen years before Malibran, with the gesture which Malibran has
made so famous.--'Come, do not be childish, my angel,' said I, trying
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