| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: Open it, my good wife. Unloose the cords.
Kneel down upon the floor. You are better so.
Nay not that one, the other. Despatch, despatch!
Buyers will grow impatient oftentimes.
We dare not keep them waiting. Ay! 'tis that,
Give it to me; with care. It is most costly.
Touch it with care. And now, my noble Lord -
Nay, pardon, I have here a Lucca damask,
The very web of silver and the roses
So cunningly wrought that they lack perfume merely
To cheat the wanton sense. Touch it, my Lord.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, etc. by Oscar Wilde: much for his bright, buoyant spirits and his generous, reckless
nature, and had given him the permanent ENTREE to his studio.
When Hughie came in he found Trevor putting the finishing touches
to a wonderful life-size picture of a beggar-man. The beggar
himself was standing on a raised platform in a corner of the
studio. He was a wizened old man, with a face like wrinkled
parchment, and a most piteous expression. Over his shoulders was
flung a coarse brown cloak, all tears and tatters; his thick boots
were patched and cobbled, and with one hand he leant on a rough
stick, while with the other he held out his battered hat for alms.
'What an amazing model!' whispered Hughie, as he shook hands with
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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 Unconscious Comedians by Honore de Balzac: Berlin to find his cousin.
Leon de Lora sent word by a servant to his cousin Gazonal that he
invited him to breakfast the next day at the Cafe de Paris, but he was
now engaged in a matter which did not allow him to receive his cousin
at the present moment. Gazonal, like a true Southerner, recounted all
his troubles to the valet.
The next day at ten o'clock, Gazonal, much too well-dressed for the
occasion (he had put on his bottle-blue coat with brass buttons, a
frilled shirt, a white waistcoat and yellow gloves), awaited his
amphitryon a full hour, stamping his feet on the boulevard, after
hearing from the master of the cafe that "these gentlemen" breakfasted
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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 Marie by H. Rider Haggard: "Dog!" I said, "saddle my mare and the roan horse and get your gun. In
two minutes I come. Be swift or I kill you."
"I go," he answered, and shot out into the night like a frightened
snake.
Then I began to dress, shouting as I dressed, till my father and the
Kaffirs ran into the room. As I threw on my things I told them all.
"Send out messengers," I said, "to Marais--he is at Botha's farm--and to
all the neighbours. Send, for your lives; gather up the friendly
Kaffirs and ride like hell for Maraisfontein. Don't talk to me, father;
don't talk! Go and do what I tell you. Stay! Give me two guns, fill
the saddle-bags with powder tins and loopers, and tie them to my mare.
Marie |
