| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Episode Under the Terror by Honore de Balzac: to see them as he promised, to celebrate the sad anniversary of the
death of Louis XVI., he could not escape their friendship.
The night so impatiently awaited came at last. At midnight the old
wooden staircase echoed with the stranger's heavy footsteps. They had
made the best of their room for his coming; the altar was ready, and
this time the door stood open, and the two Sisters were out at the
stairhead, eager to light the way. Mademoiselle de Langeais even came
down a few steps, to meet their benefactor the sooner.
"Come," she said, with a quaver in the affectionate tones, "come in;
we are expecting you."
He raised his face, gave her a dark look, and made no answer. The
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An Unsocial Socialist by George Bernard Shaw: silver-mounted ebony handle, which he seemed unlikely to have
come by honestly. Miss Wilson felt like a boy caught robbing an
orchard, but she put a bold face on the matter and said:
"Will you allow us to take shelter here until the rain is over?"
"For certain, your ladyship," he replied, respectfully applying
the spade handle to his hair, which was combed down to his
eyebrows. "Your ladyship does me proud to take refuge from the
onclemency of the yallovrments beneath my 'umble rooftree." His
accent was barbarous; and he, like a low comedian, seemed to
relish its vulgarity. As he spoke he came in among them for
shelter, and propped his spade against the wall of the chalet,
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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 The Symposium by Xenophon: money in their pockets?
Call. Undoubtedly.
Ant. Pray how?
Call. In this way. When they know that they are furnished with the
means, that is to say, my money, to buy necessaries, they would rather
not incur the risk of evil-doing, and why should they?
Ant. And pray, do they repay you these same moneys?
Call. I cannot say they do.
Ant. Well then, do they requite your gifts of gold with gratitude?
Call. No, not so much as a bare "Thank you." In fact, some of them are
even worse disposed towards me when they have got my money than
The Symposium |
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 Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: 'Wait!'
She waited; and he had another try, doing more harm than good.
'Sound the horn then, if you won't let me push,' she said. 'Hell! Be
quiet a moment!'
She was quiet a moment: he made shattering efforts with the little
motor.
'You'll only break the thing down altogether, Clifford,' she
remonstrated; 'besides wasting your nervous energy.'
'If I could only get out and look at the damned thing!' he said,
exasperated. And he sounded the horn stridently. 'Perhaps Mellors can
see what's wrong.'
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
