| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: disconcertingly indelicate. She even borrowed several of Aline's
phrases.
The result was that on the Monday afternoon when at last M. de La
Tour d'Azyr's returning berline drove up to the chateau, he was met
by M. le Comte de Sautron who desired a word with him even before
he changed.
"Gervais, you're a fool," was the excellent opening made by M. le
Comte.
"Charles, you give me no news," answered M. le Marquis. "Of what
particular folly do you take the trouble to complain?"
He flung himself wearily upon a sofa, and his long graceful body
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: mentioned by M. de Tocqueville, they fined a member of the burgher
guard for absenting himself from a Te Deum. All self-government was
gone. A country parish was, says Turgot, nothing but "an assemblage
of cabins, and of inhabitants as passive as the cabins they dwelt
in." Without an order of council, the parish could not mend the
steeple after a storm, or repair the parsonage gable. If they
grumbled at the intendant, he threw some of the chief persons into
prison, and made the parish pay the expenses of the horse patrol,
which formed the arbitrary police of France. Everywhere was
meddling. There were reports on statistics--circumstantial,
inaccurate, and useless--as statistics are too often wont to be.
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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 The Mayflower Compact: all due Submission and Obedience.
In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names
at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Raigne of our
Sovereigne Lord, King James of England, France, and Ireland,
the eighteenth, and of Scotland, the fiftie-fourth,
Anno. Domini, 1620.
Mr. John Carver Mr. Stephen Hopkins
Mr. William Bradford Digery Priest
Mr. Edward Winslow Thomas Williams
Mr. William Brewster Gilbert Winslow
Isaac Allerton Edmund Margesson
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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 Koran: perspicuous Book.
He it is who takes you to Himself at night, and knows what ye have
gained in the day; then He raises you up again, that your appointed
time may be fulfilled; then unto Him is your return, and then will
He inform you of what ye have done.
He triumphs over His servants; He sends to them guardian angels,
until, when death comes to any one of you, our messengers take him
away; they pass not over any one, and then are they returned to God,
their true sovereign.
Is not His the rule? but He is very quick at reckoning up.
Say, 'Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and of the sea?'
The Koran |
