The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: that the habit of a novice, which the young woman wore, was not very
advantageous in a contest of this kind.
The abbess introduced them to each other. When this formality was
ended, as her duties called her to chapel, she left the two young women
alone.
The novice, seeing Milady in bed, was about the follow the example of
the superior; but Milady stopped her.
"How, madame," said she, "I have scarcely seen you, and you already
wish to deprive me of your company, upon which I had counted a little, I
must confess, for the time I have to pass here?"
"No, madame," replied the novice, "only I thought I had chosen my time
The Three Musketeers |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Reign of King Edward the Third by William Shakespeare: CHARLES.
Do so, Villiers;--and Charles, when he hath need,
Be such his soldiers, howsoever he speed!
[Exit Villiers.]
[Enter King John.]
KING JOHN.
Come, Charles, and arm thee; Edward is entrapped,
The Prince of Wales is fallen into our hands,
And we have compassed him; he cannot escape.
CHARLES.
But will your highness fight to day?
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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 A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde: cannot kill those. They feed each other.
LORD ILLINGWORTH. What sort of love is that which needs to have
hate as its brother?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. It is the sort of love I have for Gerald. Do you
think that terrible? Well it is terrible. All love is terrible.
All love is a tragedy. I loved you once, Lord Illingworth. Oh,
what a tragedy for a woman to have loved you!
LORD ILLINGWORTH. So you really refuse to marry me?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Yes.
LORD ILLINGWORTH. Because you hate me?
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Yes.
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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 The Wrecker by Stevenson & Osbourne: "You've come--that's the good news that I want," he replied.
"O, how I've longed for you, Loudon!"
"I couldn't do what you wrote me," I said, lowering my voice.
"The creditors have it all. I couldn't do it."
"Ssh!" returned Jim. "I was crazy when wrote. I could never
have looked Mamie in the face if we had done it. O, Loudon,
what a gift that woman is! You think you know something of
life: you just don't know anything. It's the GOODNESS of the
woman, it's a revelation!"
"That's all right," said I. "That's how I hoped to hear you, Jim."
"And so the Flying Scud was a fraud," he resumed. "I didn't
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