| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: Hobbie's opinion, and may be that of most of our readers,that the
Recluse of Mucklestane-Moor had but a kind of a gleaming, or
twilight understanding; and that he had neither very clear views
as to what he himself wanted, nor was apt to pursue his ends by
the clearest and most direct means; so that to seek the clew of
his conduct, was likened, by Hobbie, to looking for a straight
path through a common, over which are a hundred devious tracks,
but not one distinct line of road.
When Isabella had perused the letter, her first enquiry was after
her father. He had left the castle, she was informed, early in
the morning, after a long interview with Mr. Ratcliffe, and was
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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 Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac: sketch; he leaned his head round the edge of his canvas to see what
had happened. The sight of his mother stretched out on the floor made
him drop palette and brushes, and rush to lift what seemed a lifeless
body. He took Agathe in his arms and carried her to her own bed, and
sent the servant for his friend Horace Bianchon. As soon as he could
question his mother she told him of her letter to Philippe, and of the
answer she had received from him. The artist went to his atelier and
picked up the letter, whose concise brutality had broken the tender
heart of the poor mother, and shattered the edifice of trust her
maternal preference had erected. When Joseph returned to her bedside
he had the good feeling to be silent. He did not speak of his brother
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