| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Two Poets by Honore de Balzac: believe the truth. The outcry was terrific. Some were of the opinion
that society was on the eve of cataclysm. "See what comes of Liberal
doctrines!" cried others.
Then it was that the jealous du Chatelet discovered that Madame
Charlotte, the monthly nurse, was no other than Mme. Chardon, "the
mother of the Chateaubriand of L'Houmeau," as he put it. The remark
passed muster as a joke. Mme. de Chandour was the first to hurry to
Mme. de Bargeton.
"Nais, dear," she said, "do you know what everybody is talking about
in Angouleme? This little rhymster's mother is the Madame Charlotte
who nursed my sister-in-law through her confinement two months ago."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: this sort of sister?"
"Certainly she has a name. She is Mlle. Aline de Kercadiou, the
niece of Quintin de Kercadiou, Lord of Gavrillac."
"Oho! That's a sufficiently fine name for your sort of sister.
What sort of sister, my friend?"
For the first time in their relationship he observed and deplored
the taint of vulgarity, of shrewishness, in her manner.
"It would have been more accurate in me to have said a sort of
reputed left-handed cousin."
"A reputed left-handed cousin! And what sort of relationship may
that be? Faith, you dazzle me with your lucidity."
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Iron Puddler by James J. Davis: noticed that not a man examined or discussed the dangers in it.
The mind of the meeting was made up. I was talking to the fellow
who sat beside me, and I told him what my father had written me.
"I agree," he said. "A strike at a time like this doesn't seem
to be the right thing to do."
"If you don't think it a wise move," I said, "why don't you get
up and say so. For this meeting is going to vote strike in the
next two minutes, sure as fate."
"I can't make a speech," he said. "You do it."
The men were paid monthly checks and had never heard any
complaint from their landlords and grocerymen who were willing to
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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 To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf: well ask, what had been done to it? seeing how old Kennedy was
supposed to have charge of it, and then his leg got so bad after he
fell from the cart; and perhaps then no one for a year, or the better
part of one; and then Davie Macdonald, and seeds might be sent, but who
should say if they were ever planted? They'd find it changed.
She watched her son scything. He was a great one for work--one of
those quiet ones. Well they must be getting along with the cupboards,
she supposed. They hauled themselves up.
At last, after days of labour within, of cutting and digging without,
dusters were flicked from the windows, the windows were shut to, keys
were turned all over the house; the front door was banged; it was
To the Lighthouse |
