| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Ebb-Tide by Stevenson & Osbourne: 'Well, and what did you do next?' inquired the captain.
'Oh, I went in,' said Herrick.
'The old folks?' asked the captain.
'That's about it,' said the other, chewing a grass.
'Well, I think you are about the poorest 'and at a yarn!' cried
the clerk. 'Crikey, it's like Ministering Children! I can tell
you there would be more beer and skittles about my little jaunt.
I would go and have a B. and S. for luck. Then I would get a big
ulster with astrakhan fur, and take my cane and do the la-de-la
down Piccadilly. Then I would go to a slap-up restaurant, and
have green peas, and a bottle of fizz, and a chump chop--Oh!
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: four o'clock. But tell me, Eugenie, dat she shall lofe me a
little----"
"A little?--A great deal!--I tell you what, monsieur, nothing but
generosity can win a woman's heart. You would, no doubt, have saved a
hundred thousand francs or so by letting her go to prison. Well, you
would never have won her heart. As she said to me--'Eugenie, he has
been noble, grand--he has a great soul.' "
"She hafe said dat, Eugenie?" cried the Baron.
"Yes, monsieur, to me, myself."
"Here--take dis ten louis."
"Thank you.--But she is crying at this moment; she has been crying
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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 Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: sphere he belonged. However boldly the old uncle cast the boarding-
hooks over the vessel, Longueville slipped away cleverly, so as to
preserve the charm of mystery; and it was easy to him to remain the
"handsome Stranger" at the Villa, because curiosity never overstepped
the bounds of good breeding.
Emilie, distracted by this reserve, hoped to get more out of the
sister than the brother, in the form of confidences. Aided by her
uncle, who was as skilful in such manoeuvres as in handling a ship,
she endeavored to bring upon the scene the hitherto unseen figure of
Mademoiselle Clara Longueville. The family party at the Villa Planat
soon expressed the greatest desire to make the acquaintance of so
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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 The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: her endeavor to remedy the defects her education had encouraged. Was
not this her first homage to love, and a bitter reproach to herself?
She desired to please, and she was enchanting; she loved, and she was
idolized. Her family, knowing that her pride would sufficiently
protect her, gave her enough freedom to enjoy the little childish
delights which give to first love its charm and its violence. More
than once the young man and Mademoiselle de Fontaine walked, tete-a-
tete, in the avenues of the garden, where nature was dressed like a
woman going to a ball. More than once they had those conversations,
aimless and meaningless, in which the emptiest phrases are those which
cover the deepest feelings. They often admired together the setting
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