| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Glasses by Henry James: say it's a horrid lie!" I had brought on a commotion deeper than
any I was prepared for; but it was explained in some degree by the
next words she uttered: "I'm happy to say there's nothing the
matter with any part of me whatever, not the least little thing!"
She spoke with her habitual complacency, with triumphant assurance;
she smiled again, and I could see how she wished that she hadn't so
taken me up. She turned it off with a laugh. "I've good eyes,
good teeth, a good digestion and a good temper. I'm sound of wind
and limb!" Nothing could have been more characteristic than her
blush and her tears, nothing less acceptable to her than to be
thought not perfect in every particular. She couldn't submit to
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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 Case of The Lamp That Went Out by Grace Isabel Colbron and Augusta Groner: dog. That is all he needs; he has been over-fed."
Franz was quite bewildered. These new developments promised to be
interesting and he was torn between his desire to know more, and
his doubts as to the propriety of leaving the housekeeper with this
queer stranger. He hesitated until the woman herself motioned to
him to go. He went out into the hall, then into the courtyard,
watched by the two in the room who stood silently in the window
until they saw the butler pass down into the garden. Then they
looked at each other.
"You belong to the police?" asked Adele Bernauer finally with a
deep sigh.
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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 Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: work--one whose bent is in that direction. Do me that favour!
Grudge it not to an old man, to behold a sight he has never yet
beheld. Think you I wish to see the Zeus or Athena of Phidias,
bedecked with gold and ivory?--Nay, show me, one of you, a human
soul, desiring to be of one mind with God, no more to lay blame
on God or man, to suffer nothing to disappoint, nothing to cross
him, to yield neither to anger, envy, nor jealousy--in a word,
why disguise the matter? one that from a man would fan become a
God; one that while still imprisioned in this dead body makes
fellowship with God his aim. Show me him!--Ah, you cannot! Then
why mock yourselves and delude others? why stalk about tricked
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
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 A Daughter of Eve by Honore de Balzac: friend!"
The cat, who hid the inkstand behind him, divined that Schmucke wanted
it, and jumped to the bed.
"He's as mischievous as a monkey," said Schmucke. "I call him Mirr in
honor of our great Hoffman of Berlin, whom I knew well."
The good man signed the papers with the innocence of a child who does
what his mother orders without question, so sure is he that all is
right. He was thinking much more of presenting the cat to the countess
than of the papers by which his liberty might be, according to the
laws relating to foreigners, forever sacrificed.
"You assure me that these little papers with the stamps on them--"
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