| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Maria, or the Wrongs of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft: in a desire to comfort those, whose misfortunes were comparatively
trivial. He would have been ashamed of being as indulgent to
himself, as he was to others. 'Genuine fortitude,' he would assert,
'consisted in governing our own emotions, and making allowance for
the weaknesses in our friends, that we would not tolerate in
ourselves.' But where is my fond regret leading me!
"'Women must be submissive,' said my landlady. 'Indeed what
could most women do? Who had they to maintain them, but their
husbands? Every woman, and especially a lady, could not go through
rough and smooth, as she had done, to earn a little bread.'
"She was in a talking mood, and proceeded to inform me how
|
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 Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: "Sirs, accept my thanks for your politeness," said the young
man, retreating.
"What do you think of that interrogator?" asked Aramis.
"I think he is either a dull provincial person or a spy in
search of information."
"And you replied to him with that notion?"
"Nothing warranted me to answer him otherwise; he was polite
to me and I was so to him."
"But if he be a spy ---- "
"What do you think a spy would be about here? We are not
living in the time of Cardinal Richelieu, who would have
Twenty Years After |
