| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: All their movements were made with the precision which always amazes
you so much at the Blind Asylum. You could almost think that they can
see. I came nearer to listen; but when I stood beside them, they
evidently guessed I was not a working man, and kept themselves to
themselves.
"What part of the world do you come from, you that are playing the
clarionet?"
"From Venice," he said, with a trace of Italian accent.
"Have you always been blind, or did it come on afterwards--"
"Afterwards," he answered quickly. "A cursed gutta serena."
"Venice is a fine city; I have always had a fancy to go there."
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: happiness, the qualities and defects of my age. Now, I understand that
I ought not to have tried to see you," he added; "but, at the same
time, the desire was a very natural one"--and, making an appeal to
feeling rather than to the intellect, he described the weariness of
his enforced exile. He drew a portrait of a young man in whom the
fires of life were burning themselves out, conveying the impression
that here was a heart worthy of tender love, a heart which,
notwithstanding, had never known the joys of love for a young and
beautiful woman of refinement and taste. He explained, without
attempting to justify, his unusual conduct. He flattered Mme. de
Beauseant by showing that she had realized for him the ideal lady of a
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: his hat from the trunk, fastened to his shoulder a black
cloak, which he had worn during all his journey, and
pressing the two hands of the old man, who watched his
proceedings with a look of anxiety, --
"My good Parry," said he, "order a fire, drink, eat, sleep,
and be happy; let us both be happy, my faithful friend, my
only friend. We are rich, as rich as kings!"
He struck the bag of pistoles with his clenched hand as he
spoke, and it fell heavily to the ground. He resumed that
dismal laugh that had so alarmed Parry; and whilst the whole
household was screaming, singing, and preparing to install
Ten Years Later |
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 Blix by Frank Norris:
The little dining-room was dark, but for the indistinct blur of
light that came in through the window--a light that was a mingling
of the afterglow, the new-risen moon, and the faint haze that the
city threw off into the sky from its street lamps and electrics.
From where they sat they could look down, almost as from a tower,
into the city's streets. Here a corner came into view; further on
a great puff of green foliage--palms and pines side by side--over-
looked a wall. Here a street was visible for almost its entire
length, like a stream of asphalt flowing down the pitch of the
hill, dammed on either side by rows upon rows of houses; while
|
