| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Street of Seven Stars by Mary Roberts Rinehart: But the girl knew he would do as she had desired.
That day brought good luck to Harmony. The wife of one of the
professors at the hospital desired English conversation at two
Kronen an hour.
Peter brought the news home at noon, and that afternoon Harmony
was engaged. It was little enough, but it was something. It did
much more than offer her two Kronen an hour; it gave her back her
self-confidence, although the immediate result was rather tragic.
The Frau Professor Bergmeister, infatuated with English and with
Harmony, engaged her, and took her first two Kronen worth that
afternoon. It was the day for a music-lesson. Harmony arrived
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: ever ready to magnify Caesar and the senate, though convinced by
Cato, were afraid of the people.
But when the news was brought that Caesar had seized Ariminum,
and was marching with his army toward Rome, then all men, even
Pompey, and the common people too, cast their eyes on Cato, who
had alone foreseen and first clearly declared Caesar's
intentions. He, therefore, told them, "If you had believed me,
or regarded my advice, you would not now have been reduced to
stand in fear of one man, or to put all your hopes in one alone."
Pompey acknowledged, that Cato indeed had spoken most like a
prophet, while he himself had acted too much like a friend. And
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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 Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: town that is walled and defensible, they behote to them that be
within to do all the profit and good, that it is marvel to hear;
and they grant also to them that be within all that they will ask
them. And after that they be yielden, anon they slay them all; and
cut off their ears and souse them in vinegar, and thereof they make
great service for lords. All their lust and all their imagination
is for to put all lands under their subjection. And they say that
they know well by their prophecies, that they shall be overcome by
archers and by strength of them; but they know not of what nation
ne of what law they shall be of, that shall overcome them. And
therefore they suffer that folk of all laws may peaceably dwell
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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: that is quite another thing," said Poiret.
"You seem to be guided by this gentleman's opinion, and you hear
what he says," said the man of independent means, addressing
Mlle. Michonneau. "Very well, his Excellency is at this moment
absolutely certain that the so-called Vautrin, who lodges at the
Maison Vauquer, is a convict who escaped from penal servitude at
Toulon, where he is known by the nickname Trompe-la-Mort."
"Trompe-la-Mort?" said Pioret. "Dear me, he is very lucky if he
deserves that nickname."
"Well, yes," said the detective. "They call him so because he has
been so lucky as not to lose his life in the very risky
Father Goriot |
