| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: that all Polish exiles were virtually dead and buried. The court of
the Tuileries, and all who took their cue from it, gave striking proof
of the political quality which was then dignified by the name of
sagacity. They turned their backs on a Russian prince with whom they
had all been on intimate terms during the Emigration, merely because
it was said that the Emperor Nicholas gave him the cold shoulder.
Between the caution of the court and the prudence of the diplomates,
the Polish exiles of distinction lived in Paris in the Biblical
solitude of "super flumina Babylonis," or else they haunted a few
salons which were the neutral ground of all opinions. In a city of
pleasure, like Paris, where amusements abound on all sides, the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm: of it with both hands to pull it out.
Then he made the best of his way off, while the nurse laughed and the
baby crowed; and all the court jeered at him for having had so much
trouble for nothing, and said, 'We wish you a very good morning, and a
merry feast, Mr RUMPLESTILTSKIN!'
CLEVER GRETEL
There was once a cook named Gretel, who wore shoes with red heels, and
when she walked out with them on, she turned herself this way and
that, was quite happy and thought: 'You certainly are a pretty girl!'
And when she came home she drank, in her gladness of heart, a draught
of wine, and as wine excites a desire to eat, she tasted the best of
Grimm's Fairy Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela: its crupper in wide circles. Luis Cervantes sank into his
seat.
"General, I wish to make my report. Here you
have . . ."
"Look here, man, I didn't really want this done, you
know. Moyahua is almost like my native town. They'll
say this is why we've been fighting!" Demetrio said, look-
ing at the bulging sack of silver Cervantes was passing
to him. Cervantes left his seat to squat down by Deme-
trio's side.
He stretched a blanket over the floor and into it
The Underdogs |
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 Pupil by Henry James: head in them and bursting into tears: at which Pemberton was the
more startled that, as it then came over him, it was the first time
he had ever seen the boy cry and that the impression was
consequently quite awful.
The next day, after much thought, he took a decision and, believing
it to be just, immediately acted on it. He cornered Mr. and Mrs.
Moreen again and let them know that if on the spot they didn't pay
him all they owed him he wouldn't only leave their house but would
tell Morgan exactly what had brought him to it.
"Oh you HAVEN'T told him?" cried Mrs. Moreen with a pacifying hand
on her well-dressed bosom.
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