| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: was impossible to take her anywhere else, and she is not to remain here
long. "It will be absolutely necessary," said she, "as you, my dear sister,
must be sensible, to treat my daughter with some severity while she is
here; a most painful necessity, but I will ENDEAVOUR to submit to it. I am
afraid I have often been too indulgent, but my poor Frederica's temper
could never bear opposition well: you must support and encourage me; you
must urge the necessity of reproof if you see me too lenient." All this
sounds very reasonable. Reginald is so incensed against the poor silly
girl. Surely it is not to Lady Susan's credit that he should be so bitter
against her daughter; his idea of her must be drawn from the mother's
description. Well, whatever may be his fate, we have the comfort of knowing
 Lady Susan |
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 Hidden Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac: from the window in the roof, which fell full on the pale face of
Porbus and on the ivory skull of his singular visitor.
The attention of the young man was taken exclusively by a picture
destined to become famous after those days of tumult and revolution,
and which even then was precious in the sight of certain opinionated
individuals to whom we owe the preservation of the divine afflatus
through the dark days when the life of art was in jeopardy. This noble
picture represents the Mary of Egypt as she prepares to pay for her
passage by the ship. It is a masterpiece, painted for Marie de
Medicis, and afterwards sold by her in the days of her distress.
"I like your saint," said the old man to Porbus, "and I will give you
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