| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from American Notes by Rudyard Kipling: attention to the job. Out of office hours he can take his coach
and four and pervade society if he pleases.
In a vast marble-paved hall, under the glare of an electric
light, sat forty or fifty men, and for their use and amusement
were provided spittoons of infinite capacity and generous gape.
Most of the men wore frock-coats and top-hats--the things that we
in India put on at a wedding-break-fast, if we possess them--but
they all spat. They spat on principle. The spittoons were on
the staircases, in each bedroom--yea, and in chambers even more
sacred than these. They chased one into retirement, but they
blossomed in chiefest splendor round the bar, and they were all
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: an exchange of remarks between the porter and the cab driver.
But the young man was conscious, at the same moment, that it had
ceased to be a matter of serious regret to him that the little
American flirt should be "talked about" by low-minded menials.
These people, a day or two later, had serious information to give:
the little American flirt was alarmingly ill. Winterbourne, when the
rumor came to him, immediately went to the hotel for more news.
He found that two or three charitable friends had preceded him,
and that they were being entertained in Mrs. Miller's salon by Randolph.
"It's going round at night," said Randolph--"that's
what made her sick. She's always going round at night.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: semblance of a royal palace. A mystery was observed in all these
arrangements: the workmen came thither and returned by night,
and all measures were taken to prevent the prying curiosity of
the villagers from observing or speculating upon the changes
which were taking place in the mansion of their once indigent but
now wealthy neighbour, Anthony Foster. Accordingly, the secrecy
desired was so far preserved, that nothing got abroad but vague
and uncertain reports, which were received and repeated, but
without much credit being attached to them.
On the evening of which we treat, the new and highly-decorated
suite of rooms were, for the first time, illuminated, and that
Kenilworth |
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 Massimilla Doni by Honore de Balzac: between Osiride and Elcia in the subterranean chamber where he has
hidden her to keep her from the departing Israelites, and to fly with
her himself from Egypt. The lovers are then intruded on by Aaron, who
has been to warn Amalthea, and we get the grandest of all quartettes:
/Mi manca la voce, mi sento morire/. This is one of those masterpieces
that will survive in spite of time, that destroyer of fashion in
music, for it speaks the language of the soul which can never change.
Mozart holds his own by the famous /finale/ to /Don Giovanni/;
Marcello, by his psalm, /Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei/; Cimarosa, by the
air /Pria che spunti/; Beethoven by his C minor symphony; Pergolesi,
by his /Stabat Mater/; Rossini will live by /Mi manca la voce/. What
|
