| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Vendetta by Honore de Balzac: Corsica, the old mansion of the Portenduere family, in which he had
made no changes. Lodged, usually, at the cost of the government, he
did not occupy this house until after the catastrophe of
Fontainebleau. Following the habits of simple persons of strict
virtue, the baron and his wife gave no heed to external splendor;
their furniture was that which they bought with the mansion. The grand
apartments, lofty, sombre, and bare, the wide mirrors in gilded frames
that were almost black, the furniture of the period of Louis XIV. were
in keeping with Bartolomeo and his wife, personages worthy of
antiquity.
Under the Empire, and during the Hundred Days, while exercising
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens: word.
'You'll excuse my mentioning it, I hope?'
'Don't apologise, sir, I beg. And now, if you please, to
business.'
During the whole of this dialogue, Mr Chester had suffered nothing
but his smile of unvarying serenity and politeness to appear upon
his face. Sim Tappertit, who had far too good an opinion of
himself to suspect that anybody could be playing upon him, thought
within himself that this was something like the respect to which he
was entitled, and drew a comparison from this courteous demeanour
of a stranger, by no means favourable to the worthy locksmith.
Barnaby Rudge |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: Then the little buds raised their rosy faces, danced again upon
their stems, and nodded kindly at Thistle, who smiled on them through
happy tears, and kissed the sweet, forgiving rose, who loved and
trusted him when most forlorn and friendless.
But the other flowers wondered among themselves, and Hyacinth said,--
"If Rose-Leaf is his friend, surely we may be; yet still I fear he may
soon grow weary of this gentleness, and be again the wicked Fairy he
once was, and we shall suffer for our kindness to him now."
"Ah, do not doubt him!" cried warm-hearted little Mignonette; "surely
some good spirit has changed the wicked Thistle into this good little
Elf. See how tenderly he lifts aside the leaves that overshadow pale
Flower Fables |
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 Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: months during which they had had to do with them. So they
resigned themselves to the men as they did to the state of
affairs. "It is part of our business, so it must be done," they
said as they drove along; no doubt to allay some slight, secret
scruples of conscience.
They went into the dining-room immediately, which looked still
more dismal in its dilapidated state, when it was lighted up;
while the table covered with choice dishes, the beautiful china
and glass, and the plate, which had been found in the hole in the
wall where its owner had hidden it, gave to the place the look of
a bandits' resort, where they were supping after committing a
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