| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Firm of Nucingen by Honore de Balzac: house was this Alsacien Caleb Balderstone.
"Three years afterwards, in 1826, Isaure was twenty years old, and
Malvina still unmarried. Malvina had gone into society, and in course
of time discovered for herself how superficial their friendships were,
how accurately every one was weighed and appraised. Like most girls
that have been 'well brought up,' as we say, Malvina had no idea of
the mechanism of life, of the importance of money, of the difficulty
of obtaining it, of the prices of things. And so, for six years, every
lesson that she had learned had been a painful one for her.
"D'Aldrigger's four hundred thousand francs were carried to the credit
of the Baroness' account with the firm of Nucingen (she was her
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tanach: Psalms 93: 5 Thy testimonies are very sure, holiness becometh Thy house, O LORD, for evermore.
Psalms 94: 1 O LORD, Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth, shine forth.
Psalms 94: 2 Lift up Thyself, Thou Judge of the earth; render to the proud their recompense.
Psalms 94: 3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?
Psalms 94: 4 They gush out, they speak arrogancy; all the workers of iniquity bear themselves loftily.
Psalms 94: 5 They crush Thy people, O LORD, and afflict Thy heritage.
Psalms 94: 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
Psalms 94: 7 And they say: 'The LORD will not see, neither will the God of Jacob give heed.'
Psalms 94: 8 Consider, ye brutish among the people; and ye fools, when will ye understand?
Psalms 94: 9 He that planted the ear, shall He not hear? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?
Psalms 94: 10 He that instructeth nations, shall not He correct? even He that teacheth man knowledge?
The Tanach |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Elizabeth and her German Garden by Marie Annette Beauchamp: for all the lovely things He brought <149> us. I suppose
you're writing to Him now, isn't you?"
I cannot see that there was anything gross about our Christmas,
and we were perfectly merry without any need to pretend, and for at least
two days it brought us a little nearer together, and made us kind.
Happiness is so wholesome; it invigorates and warms me into piety
far more effectually than any amount of trials and griefs, and an
unexpected pleasure is the surest means of bringing me to my knees.
In spite of the protestations of some peculiarly constructed
persons that they are the better for trials, I don't believe it.
Such things must sour us, just as happiness must sweeten us,
Elizabeth and her German Garden |
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 Margret Howth: A Story of To-day by Rebecca Harding Davis: air of copperas were easier to breathe in; the cramped, sordid
office, the work, mere trifles to laugh at; and she bent over the
ledger with its hard lines in earnest good-will, through the slow
creeping hours of the long day. She noticed that the unfortunate
chicken was making its heart glad over a piece of fresh earth
covered with damp moss. Dr. Knowles stopped to look at it when
he came, passing her with a surly nod.
"So your master's not forgotten you," he snarled, while the blind
old hen cocked her one eye up at him.
Pike, the manager, had brought in some bills.
"Who's its master?" he said, curiously, stopping by the door.
Margret Howth: A Story of To-day |
