| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: done on the stage.
"Get up, Crevel," said Marneffe, laughing, "you are ridiculous. I can
see by Valerie's manner that my honor is in no danger."
"Go to bed and sleep in peace," said Madame Marneffe.
"Isn't she clever?" thought Crevel. "She has saved me. She is
adorable!"
As Marneffe disappeared, the Mayor took Valerie's hands and kissed
them, leaving on them the traces of tears.
"It shall all stand in your name," he said.
"That is true love," she whispered in his ear. "Well, love for love.
Hulot is below, in the street. The poor old thing is waiting to return
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: distemper, unable to resist; but Romulus at once made head against them,
and gained the victory, with the slaughter of six thousand men; then
took their city, and brought half of those he found there to Rome;
sending from Rome to Camerium double the number he left there. This was
done the first of August. So many citizens had he to spare, in sixteen
years' time from his first founding Rome. Among other spoils, he took a
brazen four-horse chariot from Camerium, which he placed in the temple
of Vulcan, setting on it his own statue,
with a figure of Victory crowning him.
The Roman cause thus daily gathering strength, their weaker neighbors
shrunk away, and were thankful to be left untouched; but the stronger,
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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 Emma McChesney & Co. by Edna Ferber: thought it was almost uncomplimentary to the young couple. You
didn't even weep, you unnatural woman!"
Emma, seated before her dressing-table, stopped brushing her hair
and sat silent a moment, looking down with unseeing eyes at the
brush in her hand.
"I know it, T. A. Would you like to have me tell you why?"
He came over to her then and ran a tender hand down the length of
her bright hair. Then he kissed the top of her head. This
satisfactory performance he capped by saying:
"I think I know why. It's because the minister hesitated a
minute and looked from you to Grace and back again, not knowing
Emma McChesney & Co. |
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 Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs: water from the pool bathed his face and forced a few drops
between the white lips. The cooling draft revived the
wounded child, but brought on a paroxysm of coughing.
When this had subsided Rudolph raised his eyes to those
of the man bending above him.
"Thank God, your majesty is unharmed," he whispered.
"Now I can die in peace."
The white lids drooped lower, and with a tired sigh the
boy lay quiet. Tears came to the young man's eyes as he
let the limp body gently to the ground.
"Brave little heart," he murmured, "you gave up your life
The Mad King |
