| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: young lady, as fair as the sunshine, sir, and seemingly about two
or three-and-twenty years of age, having with her a tall young lad
of sixteen, and a little girl, a marvellously pretty child, of
about a six or seven. And the lady herself was of an excellent
beauty, like a whale's tooth for whiteness, so that all the crew
wondered at her, and could not be satisfied with looking upon her.
And, gentlemen, this was strange, that the lady seemed in no wise
afraid or mournful, and bid her little girl fear naught, as did
also Mr. Oxenham: but the lad kept a very sour countenance, and the
more when he saw the lady and Mr. Oxenham speaking together apart.
"Well, sir, after this good luck we were minded to have gone
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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 Sportsman by Xenophon: [48] {kata podas}, i.e. "by running down"; cf. "Mem." II. vi. 9;
"Cyrop." I. vi. 40, re two kinds of hound: the one for scent, the
other for speed.
The fact is, there is no other animal of equal size which is at all
its match in speed. Witness the conformation of its body: the light,
small drooping head [narrow in front];[49] the [thin cylindrical][50]
neck, not stiff and of a moderate length; straight shoulder-blades,
loosely slung above; the fore-legs attached to them, light and set
close together;[51] the undistended chest;[52] the light symmetrical
sides; the supple, well-rounded loins; the fleshy buttocks; the
somewhat sunken flanks;[53] the hips, well rounded, plump at every
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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 O Pioneers! by Willa Cather: keeping the place with his horny finger, and
He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run
among the hills;
They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild
asses quench their thirst.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of
Lebanon which he hath planted;
Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the
fir trees are her house.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the
rocks for the conies.
O Pioneers! |
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 Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: ministers should purchase the group, he would go to pay his respects,
and prove that he was the maker, and be almost carried in triumph! Oh!
he believes he has reached the pinnacle; poor young man, and he is as
proud as two newly-made Counts."
"Michael Angelo over again; but, for a lover, he has kept his head on
his shoulders!" said Hortense. "And how much does he want for it?"
"Fifteen hundred francs. The dealer will not let it go for less, since
he must take his commission."
"Papa is in the King's household just now," said Hortense. "He sees
those two ministers every day at the Chamber, and he will do the thing
--I undertake that. You will be a rich woman, Madame la Comtesse de
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