| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: in anything, and waited to be questioned before he spoke at all. He
seemed actually stupid to the countess, whose coquettish little ways
missed their mark in presence of such frigid gravity and conventional
respect. In vain Adam kept saying: "Do be lively, Thaddeus; one would
really suppose you were not at home. You must have made a wager to
disconcert Clementine." Thaddeus continued heavy and half asleep. When
the servants left the room at the end of the dessert the captain
explained that his habits were diametrically opposite to those of
society,--he went to bed at eight o'clock and got up very early in the
morning; and he excused his dulness on the ground of being sleepy.
"My intention in taking you to the Opera was to amuse you, captain;
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mosses From An Old Manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne: the settlements, and into a region of which savage beasts and
savage men were as yet the sole possessors. The boy sometimes
hinted his opinions upon the subject, and Reuben listened
attentively, and once or twice altered the direction of their
march in accordance with his son's counsel; but, having so done,
he seemed ill at ease. His quick and wandering glances were sent
forward apparently in search of enemies lurking behind the tree
trunks, and, seeing nothing there, he would cast his eyes
backwards as if in fear of some pursuer. Cyrus, perceiving that
his father gradually resumed the old direction, forbore to
interfere; nor, though something began to weigh upon his heart,
Mosses From An Old Manse |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Some Reminiscences by Joseph Conrad: behind the Fort at the entrance of the harbour. The deserted
quays looked very white and dry in the moonlight and as if frost-
bound in the sharp air of that December night. A prowler or two
slunk by noiselessly; a custom-house guard, soldier-like, a sword
by his side, paced close under the bowsprits of the long row of
ships moored bows on opposite the long, slightly curved,
continuous flat wall of the tall houses that seemed to be one
immense abandoned building with innumerable windows shuttered
closely. Only here and there a small dingy cafe for sailors cast
a yellow gleam on the bluish sheen of the flagstones. Passing
by, one heard a deep murmur of voices inside--nothing more. How
Some Reminiscences |
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 Tono Bungay by H. G. Wells: Things he mustn't do!... Any one who knows about these things,
knows there's just as much mystery and deliciousness about
Grundy's forbidden things as there is about eating ham. Jolly
nice if it's a bright morning and you're well and hungry and
having breakfast in the open air. Jolly unattractive if you're
off colour. But Grundy's covered it all up and hidden it and put
mucky shades and covers over it until he's forgotten it. Begins
to fester round it in his mind. Has dreadful struggles--with
himself about impure thoughts.... Then you set Grundy with hot
ears,--curious in undertones. Grundy on the loose, Grundy in a
hoarse whisper and with furtive eyes and convulsive
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