| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Vailima Letters by Robert Louis Stevenson: my visit to the man-of-war, where I had a cup of tea, and the
most of that night walked the verandah with extraordinary
convictions of guilt and ruin, many of which (but not all)
proved to have fled with the day, taking David along with
them; he R.I.P. in Chapter XXII.
On Saturday I went down to the town, and fetched up Captain
Gibson to dinner; Sunday I was all day at Samoa, and had a
pile of visitors. Yesterday got my mail, including your
despicable sheet; was fooled with a visit from the high chief
Asi, went down at 4 P.M. to my Samoan lesson from Whitmee - I
think I shall learn from him, he does not fool me with
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Laches by Plato: who endures, having no such knowledge?
LACHES: So I should say.
SOCRATES: And he who endures, having a knowledge of the use of the sling,
or the bow, or of any other art, is not so courageous as he who endures,
not having such a knowledge?
LACHES: True.
SOCRATES: And he who descends into a well, and dives, and holds out in
this or any similar action, having no knowledge of diving, or the like, is,
as you would say, more courageous than those who have this knowledge?
LACHES: Why, Socrates, what else can a man say?
SOCRATES: Nothing, if that be what he thinks.
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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 A Daughter of Eve by Honore de Balzac: The eyes of the countess expressed so noble a tenderness that the
tears which men of nervous temperament can always find at their
service came into Raoul's eyes.
"Where can I see you? where can I speak with you?" he said. "It is
death to be forced to disguise my voice, my look, my heart, my love--"
Moved by that tear Marie promised to drive daily in the Bois, unless
the weather were extremely bad. This promise gave Raoul more pleasure
than he had found in Florine for the last five years.
"I have so many things to say to you! I suffer from the silence to
which we are condemned--"
The countess looked at him eagerly without replying, and at 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 Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: must not believe all that she tells you about Anastasie. The two
sisters are jealous of each other, you see, another proof of
their affection. Mme. de Restaud is very fond of me too. I know
she is. A father sees his children as God sees all of us; he
looks into the very depths of their hearts; he knows their
intentions; and both of them are so loving. Oh! if I only had
good sons-in-law, I should be too happy, and I dare say there is
no perfect happiness here below. If I might live with them--
simply hear their voices, know that they are there, see them go
and come as I used to do at home when they were still with me;
why, my heart bounds at the thought. . . . Were they nicely
Father Goriot |
