| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton: element. Ellie Vanderlyn had brought a breath of it to Venice;
but Susy was then nourished on another air, the air of Nick's
presence and personality; now that she was abandoned, left again
to her own devices, she felt herself suddenly at the mercy of
the influences from which she thought she had escaped.
In the queer social whirligig from which she had so lately fled,
it seemed natural enough that a shake of the box should have
tossed Nat Fulmer into celebrity, and sent Violet Melrose
chasing back from the ends of the earth to bask in his success.
Susy knew that Mrs. Melrose belonged to the class of moral
parasites; for in that strange world the parts were sometimes
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: gotten a little more, did not return, but I must still get farther,
and more; and the avarice joined so with the success, that I
had no more thought of coming to a timely alteration of life,
though without it I could expect no safety, no tranquillity in
the possession of what I had so wickedly gained; but a little
more, and a little more, was the case still.
At length, yielding to the importunities of my crime, I cast off
all remorse and repentance, and all the reflections on that head
turned to no more than this, that I might perhaps come to have
one booty more that might complete my desires; but though I
certainly had that one booty, yet every hit looked towards
Moll Flanders |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: his head against the wall. There was a sound of sobbing.
Eugene, greatly alarmed, took the bill that bore Vautrin's
signature, saw that the stamp would suffice for a larger sum,
altered the figures, made it into a regular bill for twelve
thousand francs, payable to Goriot's order, and went to his
neighbor's room.
"Here is the money, madame," he said, handing the piece of paper
to her. "I was asleep; your conversation awoke me, and by this
means I learned all that I owed to M. Goriot. This bill can be
discounted, and I shall meet it punctually at the due date."
The Countess stood motionless and speechless, but she held the
Father Goriot |
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 Tanach: Exodus 5: 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
Exodus 5: 9 Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard lying words.'
Exodus 5: 10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying: 'Thus saith Pharaoh: I will not give you straw.
Exodus 5: 11 Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.'
Exodus 5: 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
Exodus 5: 13 And the taskmasters were urgent, saying: 'Fulfil your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'
Exodus 5: 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, saying: 'Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your appointed task in making brick both yesterday and today as heretofore?'
Exodus 5: 15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
Exodus 5: 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and, behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people.'
The Tanach |
