Today's Stichomancy for Leo Tolstoy

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tanach:

Psalms 120: 1 A Song of Ascents. In my distress I called unto the LORD, and He answered me.

Psalms 120: 2 O LORD, deliver my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

Psalms 120: 3 What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?

Psalms 120: 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom.

Psalms 120: 5 Woe is me, that I sojourn with Meshech, that I dwell beside the tents of Kedar!

Psalms 120: 6 My soul hath full long had her dwelling with him that hateth peace.

Psalms 120: 7 I am all peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalms 121: 1 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: from whence shall my help come?

Psalms 121: 2 My help cometh from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Psalms 121: 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Psalms 121: 4 Behold, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep.

The Tanach

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare:

But speake Egeus, is not this the day That Hermia should giue answer of her choice? Egeus. It is, my Lord

Thes. Goe bid the hunts-men wake them with their hornes.

Hornes and they wake.

Shout within, they all start vp.

Thes. Good morrow friends: Saint Valentine is past, Begin these wood birds but to couple now? Lys. Pardon my Lord

Thes. I pray you all stand vp.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac:

was consecrated. A simple "Yes" had bound me to keep my love within my soul and never to abuse our friendship by leading this woman step by step to love. All noble feelings were awakened within me, and I heard the murmur of their voices. Before confining myself within the narrow walls of a room, I stopped beneath the azure heavens sown with stars, I listened to the ring-dove plaints of my own heart, I heard again the simple tones of that ingenuous confidence, I gathered in the air the emanations of that soul which henceforth must ever seek me. How grand that woman seemed to me, with her absolute forgetfulness of self, her religion of mercy to wounded hearts, feeble or suffering, her declared allegiance to her legal yoke. She was there, serene upon her pyre of

The Lily of the Valley

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 The Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac:

Gentlemen, I have not the merit of this invention," continued Max, observing the signs of general admiration. "Render to Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is God's. My scheme is only a reproduction of Samson's foxes, as related in the Bible. But Samson was an incendiary, and therefore no philanthropist; while we, like the Brahmins, are the protectors of a persecuted race. Mademoiselle Flore Brazier has already set all her mouse-traps, and Kouski, my right-arm, is hunting field-mice. I have spoken."

"I know," said Goddet, "where to find an animal that's worth forty rats, himself alone."

"What's that?"