| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas: not put you to any inconvenience."
"I reside in my father's house, but occupy a pavilion at the
farther side of the court-yard, entirely separated from the
main building."
"Quite sufficient," replied the count, as, taking out his
tablets, he wrote down "No. 27, Rue du Helder, 21st May,
half-past ten in the morning."
"Now then," said the count, returning his tablets to his
pocket, "make yourself perfectly easy; the hand of your
time-piece will not be more accurate in marking the time
than myself."
The Count of Monte Cristo |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: who, being light armed with bucklers and javelins in their hands, let
fly with tremendous shouts into the faces and bodies of the cavalry.
The horses, alarmed by the noise and the wounds, would not move
forward, and trampled each other in great confusion. The fight between
the men of Castruccio and those of the enemy who succeeded in crossing
was sharp and terrible; both sides fought with the utmost desperation
and neither would yield. The soldiers of Castruccio fought to drive
the others back into the river, whilst the Florentines strove to get a
footing on land in order to make room for the others pressing forward,
who if they could but get out of the water would be able to fight, and
in this obstinate conflict they were urged on by their captains.
The Prince |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Tour Through Eastern Counties of England by Daniel Defoe: more reason to think there was a town without inhabitants, than
there is really to say so of Ipswich; but on the contrary if he was
to view the city, either on a Sabbath-day, or on any public
occasion, he would wonder where all the people could dwell, the
multitude is so great. But the case is this: the inhabitants being
all busy at their manufactures, dwell in their garrets at their
looms, and in their combing shops (so they call them), twisting-
mills, and other work-houses, almost all the works they are
employed in being done within doors. There are in this city
thirty-two parishes besides the cathedral, and a great many
meeting-houses of Dissenters of all denominations. The public
|
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 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: the maid; and the rather, because it seems his mother fed him at
the price of her own life: but the poor maid, whose constitution
was stronger than that of her mistress, who was in years, and a
weakly woman too, might struggle harder with it; nevertheless she
might be supposed to feel the extremity something sooner than her
mistress, who might be allowed to keep the last bit something
longer than she parted with any to relieve her maid. No question,
as the case is here related, if our ship or some other had not so
providentially met them, but a few days more would have ended all
their lives. I now return to my disposition of things among the
people. And, first, it is to be observed here, that for many
Robinson Crusoe |
