| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: quite a particular pleasure in asking you to give it; and so much
for the other. I trust, even if you cannot share it, you will
understand my view.
I am in treaty with Bentley for a life of Hazlitt; I hope it will
not fall through, as I love the subject, and appear to have found a
publisher who loves it also. That, I think, makes things more
pleasant. You know I am a fervent Hazlittite; I mean regarding him
as THE English writer who has had the scantiest justice. Besides
which, I am anxious to write biography; really, if I understand
myself in quest of profit, I think it must be good to live with
another man from birth to death. You have tried it, and know.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: contrasts the true men of science. It is difficult for us now to
understand how a man setting out in life with such pure and noble
views should descend at last (if indeed he did descend) to be a
quack and a conjuror--and die under the imputation that
Bombastes kept a devil's bird
Hid in the pommel of his sword,
and have, indeed, his very name, Bombast, used to this day as a
synonym of loud, violent, and empty talk. To understand it at all,
we must go back and think a little over these same occult sciences
which were believed in by thousands during the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Works of Samuel Johnson by Samuel Johnson: This character, however contemptible, is not
peculiar to Aliger. They whose activity of imagination
is often shifting the scenes of expectation, are
frequently subject to such sallies of caprice as make all
their actions fortuitous, destroy the value of their
friendship, obstruct the efficacy of their virtues, and
set them below the meanest of those that persist in
their resolutions, execute what they design, and
perform what they have promised.
No. 202. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1752
Pr,
|
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 Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: the dupes of that adventurer. But he has made himself necessary to
them. Thuillier fancies that without la Peyrade he could not be
elected; the election is still doubtful, and they are sacrificing
everything to it."
"But isn't it odious," cried Madame Phellion, "to consider such
interests before the happiness of their child!"
"Ah!" said Minard, "but Celeste is not their child, only their adopted
daughter."
"Brigitte's, if you like," said Madame Phellion; "but as for
Thuillier--"
"My good wife," said Phellion, "no censoriousness. The good God has
|
