| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Hated Son by Honore de Balzac: caused little suffering to the mother.
"Holy Virgin!" cried the bonesetter, "it isn't a miscarriage, after
all!"
The count made the floor shake as he stamped with rage. The countess
pinched Beauvouloir.
"Ah! I see!" he said to himself. "It ought to be a premature birth,
ought it?" he whispered to the countess, who replied with an
affirmative sign, as if that gesture were the only language in which
to express her thoughts.
"It is not all clear to me yet," thought the bonesetter.
Like all men in constant practice, he recognized at once a woman in
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: communicative imp, as he said, for his encouragement on his path
to the infernal regions, some sparks of whose fire, he said, he
could discover flashing from him already. Then having received
the boy's thanks for his generosity he also spurred his horse,
and rode after his master as fast as the fire flashes from flint.
"And now," said the wily imp, sidling close up to Wayland's
horse, and cutting a gambol in the air which seemed to vindicate
his title to relationship with the prince of that element, "I
have told them who YOU are, do you in return tell me who I am?"
"Either Flibbertigibbet," answered Wayland Smith, "or else an imp
of the devil in good earnest."
Kenilworth |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lost Continent by Edgar Rice Burroughs: possibly have been justly charged to my account that the
gravitation-screen generators were worthless; but well I
knew that should chance have it that we were blown across
thirty today--as we might easily be before the terrific west
wind that we could hear howling below us, the responsibility
would fall upon my shoulders.
In a way, the regulation was a good one, for it certainly
accomplished that for which it was intended. We all fought
shy of 30d on the east and 175d on the west, and, though we
had to skirt them pretty close, nothing but an act of God
ever drew one of us across. You all are familiar with the
Lost Continent |
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 Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: Upon them fall, which now draws near this coast.
LVI
"Meanwhile the highest buildings of this town
We may shake down with stones about their ears,
And with our darts and spears from engines thrown,
Command that hill Christ's sepulchre that bears:"
Thus comforts he their hopes and hearts cast down,
Awakes their valors, and exiles their fears.
But while the things hapt thus, Vafrino goes
Unknown, amid ten thousand armed foes.
LVII
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