| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rig Veda: To Indra, Agni light and prayer.
16 The Pious One milked out rich food, sustenance dealt in
portions
seven,
Together with the Sun's seven rays.
17 I took some Soma when the Sun rose up, O Mitra, Varuna.
That is the sick man's medicine.
18 From where oblations must be laid, which is the Well-beloved's
home,
He with his tongue hath compassed heaven.
The Rig Veda |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: Holden at Bury the first of this next month.
GLOSTER.
And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before!
This is close dealing.--Well, I will be there.--
[Exit Herald.]
My Nell, I take my leave;--and, master sheriff,
Let not her penance exceed the king's commission.
SHERIFF.
An 't please your grace, here my commission stays,
And Sir John Stanley is appointed now
To take her with him to the Isle of Man.
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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 The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: At the magic words the efforts of the Chouans became terrible, and the
soldiers of the Republic had great difficulty in maintaining
themselves without breaking their little line of battle.
"If he wasn't a young man," thought Hulot, as he retreated step by
step, "we shouldn't have been attacked in this way. Who ever heard of
the Chouans fighting an open battle? Well, all the better! they won't
shoot us off like dogs along the road." Then, raising his voice till
it echoed through the woods, he exclaimed, "Come on, my men! Shall we
let ourselves be /fooled/ by those brigands?"
The word here given is but a feeble equivalent of the one the brave
commandant used; but every veteran can substitute the real one, which
The Chouans |
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 Letters of Two Brides by Honore de Balzac: atone for the disappointment we felt at your change of vocation," he
said. Then, turning to my mother, "Do you know that she is going to
turn out very pretty, and you will be proud of her some day?--Here is
your brother, Rhetore.--Alphonse," he said to a fine young man who
came in, "here is your convent-bred sister, who threatens to send her
nun's frock to the deuce."
My brother came up in a leisurely way and took my hand, which he
pressed.
"Come, come, you may kiss her," said my father.
And he kissed me on both cheeks.
"I am delighted to see you," he said, "and I take your side against my
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