| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Madame Firmiani by Honore de Balzac: The following is a true history, on which you may safely spend the
treasures of your sensibility--if you have any.
In these days the French language has as many idioms and represents as
many idiosyncracies as there are varieties of men in the great family
of France. It is extremely curious and amusing to listen to the
different interpretations or versions of the same thing or the same
event by the various species which compose the genus Parisian,--
"Parisian" is here used merely to generalize our remark.
Therefore, if you should say to an individual of the species
Practical, "Do you know Madame Firmiani?" he would present that lady
to your mind by the following inventory: "Fine house in the rue du
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: XXII Hiawatha's Departure 110
Vocabulary 115
Introductory Note
The Song of Hiawatha is based on the legends and stories of
many North American Indian tribes, but especially those of the
Ojibway Indians of northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
They were collected by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, the reknowned
historian, pioneer explorer, and geologist. He was
superintendent of Indian affairs for Michigan from 1836 to 1841.
Schoolcraft married Jane, O-bah-bahm-wawa-ge-zhe-go-qua (The
Woman of the Sound Which the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky),
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: which this world had not given, and could not take away. No wonder
that Sir Richard and Lady Grenville loved her; no wonder that her
children worshipped her; no wonder that the young Amyas, when the
first burst of grief was over, and he knew again where he stood,
felt that a new life had begun for him; that his mother was no more
to think and act for him only, but that he must think and act for
his mother. And so it was, that on the very day after his father's
funeral, when school-hours were over, instead of coming straight
home, he walked boldly into Sir Richard Grenville's house, and
asked to see his godfather.
"You must be my father now, sir," said he, firmly.
|
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 Last War: A World Set Free by H. G. Wells: And cure us of certain disagreeable things, cure us of cancer,
cure us of consumption, cure our colds and relieve us after
repletion...." We have changed all that, Gardener. Science is no
longer our servant. We know it for something greater than our
little individual selves. It is the awakening mind of the race,
and in a little while----In a little while----I wish indeed I
could watch for that little while, now that the curtain has
risen....
'While I lie here they are clearing up what is left of the bombs
in London,' he said. 'Then they are going to repair the ruins
and make it all as like as possible to its former condition
The Last War: A World Set Free |
