| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Under the Red Robe by Stanley Weyman: grand, fine-gentleman's air. 'You know me, M. de Berault. This
matter has gone far enough.'
'Too far! M. de Pombal,' I answered bitterly. 'Still, if you
wish to take your friend's place, I shall raise no objection.'
'Chut, man!' he retorted, shrugging his shoulders negligently.
'I know you, and I do not fight with men of your stamp. Nor need
this gentleman.'
'Undoubtedly,' I replied, bowing low, 'if he prefers to be caned
in the streets.'
That stung the Marquis.
'Have a care! have a care!' he cried hotly. 'You go too far,
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: "We don't know who he is, sir. That is what I took the liberty
of coming to you about."
"Don't know who he is?" said Dorian, listlessly. "What do you mean?
Wasn't he one of your men?"
"No, sir. Never saw him before. Seems like a sailor, sir."
The pen dropped from Dorian Gray's hand, and he felt as if his
heart had suddenly stopped beating. "A sailor?" he cried out.
"Did you say a sailor?"
"Yes, sir. He looks as if he had been a sort of sailor;
tattooed on both arms, and that kind of thing."
"Was there anything found on him?" said Dorian, leaning forward and looking
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: Whilst he would not suffer any image[4] of his bodily form to be set
up (though many wished to present him with a statue), he never ceased
elaborating what should prove the monument of his spirit, holding that
the former is the business of a statuary, the latter of one's self.
Wealth might procure the one, he said, but only a good man could
produce the other.
[4] See Plut. "Ages." ii. (Clough, iv. p. 2); also Plut. "Ap. Lac." p.
115; ib. p. 103; Cic. "ad Div." V. xii. 7.
As for riches, he employed them not with justice merely, but with
liberality, holding that for a just man it is sufficient if he let
alone the things of others, but of a liberal man it is required that
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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 Paradise Lost by John Milton: Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill seems: Which now for once beguiled
Uriel, though regent of the sun, and held
The sharpest-sighted Spirit of all in Heaven;
Who to the fraudulent impostor foul,
In his uprightness, answer thus returned.
Fair Angel, thy desire, which tends to know
The works of God, thereby to glorify
The great Work-master, leads to no excess
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
The more it seems excess, that led thee hither
Paradise Lost |
