| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Travels with a Donkey in the Cevenne by Robert Louis Stevenson: private hours, although he must be occupied, he may be occupied on
what he likes. Thus I was told that one brother was engaged with
literature; while Father Apollinaris busies himself in making
roads, and the Abbot employs himself in binding books. It is not
so long since this Abbot was consecrated, by the way; and on that
occasion, by a special grace, his mother was permitted to enter the
chapel and witness the ceremony of consecration. A proud day for
her to have a son a mitred abbot; it makes you glad to think they
let her in.
In all these journeyings to and fro, many silent fathers and
brethren fell in our way. Usually they paid no more regard to our
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs: a jerk that tightened it securely about the hairy legs
of the anthropoid.
Taug, slow of wit, realized too late the intention of
his tormentor. He scrambled to escape, but the ape-man
gave the rope a tremendous jerk that pulled Taug from
his perch, and a moment later, growling hideously,
the ape hung head downward thirty feet above the ground.
Tarzan secured the rope to a stout limb and descended
to a point close to Taug.
"Taug," he said, "you are as stupid as Buto, the rhinoceros.
Now you may hang here until you get a little sense
The Jungle Tales of Tarzan |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac: where he found Giroudeau in the entresol,--caged like a wild beast in
a sort of hen-coop with a sliding panel; in which was a little stove,
a little table, two little chairs, and some little logs of wood. This
establishment bore the magic words, SUBSCRIPTION OFFICE, painted on
the door in black letters, and the word "Cashier," written by hand and
fastened to the grating of the cage. Along the wall that lay opposite
to the cage, was a bench, where, at this moment, a one-armed man was
breakfasting, who was called Coloquinte by Giroudeau, doubtless from
the Egyptian colors of his skin.
"A pretty hole!" exclaimed Philippe, looking round the room. "In the
name of thunder! what are you doing here, you who charged with poor
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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 Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: "Christophe!" exclaimed Babette. "We have not seen him."
"Ha! ha! my son is a bold scamp! He tricks me as if I had no beard. My
dear crony, what think you he will turn out to be? We live in days
when the children have more sense than their fathers."
"Why, the quarter has long been saying he is in some mischief," said
Lallier.
"Excuse him on that point, crony," said the furrier. "Youth is
foolish; it runs after new things; but Babette will keep him quiet;
she is newer than Calvin."
Babette smiled; she loved Christophe, and was angry when anything was
said against him. She was one of those daughters of the old
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