| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Door in the Wall, et. al. by H. G. Wells: really have a big business in hand, a very big business. But there
are troubles just now. The fact is . . . . I make diamonds."
"I suppose," said I, "you are out of work just at present?"
"I am sick of being disbelieved," he said impatiently, and
suddenly unbuttoning his wretched coat he pulled out a little
canvas bag that was hanging by a cord round his neck. From this he
produced a brown pebble. "I wonder if you know enough to know what
that is?" He handed it to me.
Now, a year or so ago, I had occupied my leisure in taking a
London science degree, so that I have a smattering of physics and
mineralogy. The thing was not unlike an uncut diamond of the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau by Honore de Balzac: characterizes those who are accustomed to maintain empire over
themselves. Thus Madame Rabourdin, Madame Jules, and Mademoiselle de
Fontaine, who had expected much amusement from the ball of their
perfumer, were detached from the background of the bourgeoisie about
them by their soft and easy grace, by the exquisite taste of their
dress and bearing,--just as three leading singers at an opera stand
out in relief from the stolid array of their supernumeraries. They
were watched with jealous, wondering eyes. Madame Roguin, Constance,
and Cesarine formed, as it were, a link which united the three types
of feminine aristocracy to the commercial figures about them.
There came, as there does at all balls, a moment when the animation of
Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Island Nights' Entertainments by Robert Louis Stevenson: shelf of books besides, and a family Bible in the midst of the
table, and the lock-fast writing desk against the wall; so that
anyone could see it was the house of a man of substance.
Kalamake made Keola close the shutters of the windows, while he
himself locked all the doors and set open the lid of the desk.
From this he brought forth a pair of necklaces hung with charms and
shells, a bundle of dried herbs, and the dried leaves of trees, and
a green branch of palm.
"What I am about," said he, "is a thing beyond wonder. The men of
old were wise; they wrought marvels, and this among the rest; but
that was at night, in the dark, under the fit stars and in the
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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 Middlemarch by George Eliot: and she must obey. But he not only dreaded the effect of such
extremities on their mutual life--he had a growing dread of Rosamond's
quiet elusive obstinacy, which would not allow any assertion of power
to be final; and again, she had touched him in a spot of keenest
feeling by implying that she had been deluded with a false vision
of happiness in marrying him. As to saying that he was master,
it was not the fact. The very resolution to which he had wrought
himself by dint of logic and honorable pride was beginning to relax
under her torpedo contact. He swallowed half his cup of coffee,
and then rose to go.
"I may at least request that you will not go to Trumbull at present--
Middlemarch |
