The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne: the scene around him; or, perhaps, dreading it to be a dream,
or a play of imagination, was vexing the fair moment with a
struggle for some added brilliancy and more durable illusion.
"How pleasant!--How delightful!" he murmured, but not as if
addressing any one. "Will it last? How balmy the atmosphere
through that open window! An open window! How beautiful that play
of sunshine! Those flowers, how very fragrant! That young girl's
face, how cheerful, how blooming!--a flower with the dew on it,
and sunbeams in the dew-drops! Ah! this must be all a dream!
A dream! A dream! But it has quite hidden the four stone walls"
Then his face darkened, as if the shadow of a cavern or a
 House of Seven Gables |
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 Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: meanwhile? Where are the young ladies; are they taking a holiday, or
are they in the country?"
Laure dried her tears, bowed to Monsieur Servin, and went away.
"The studio has been deserted for some days," replied Ginevra, "and
the young ladies are not coming back."
"Pooh!"
"Oh! don't laugh," said Ginevra. "Listen: I am the involuntary cause
of the loss of your reputation--"
The artist smiled, and said, interrupting his pupil:--
"My reputation? Why, in a few days my picture will make it at the
Exposition."
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