| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: proceedings for nullity of contract, and gained the day. Encouraged by
this success, he used legal quibbles to such purpose that he compelled
some institution or other to disgorge the Forest of Liceney. Then he
won certain lawsuits against the Canal d'Orleans, and recovered a
tolerably large amount of property, with which the Emperor had endowed
various public institutions. So it fell out that, thanks to the young
attorney's skilful management, Mme. de Grandlieu's income reached the
sum of some sixty thousand francs, to say nothing of the vast sums
returned to her by the law of indemnity. And Derville, a man of high
character, well informed, modest, and pleasant in company, became the
house-friend of the family.
Gobseck |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: `Mrs. March bein' told, and worried just for sech a trifle.'
Jo devoted herself to Beth day and night, not a hard task, for
Beth was very patient, and bore her pain uncomplainingly as long as
she could control herself. But there came a time when during the
fever fits she began to talk in a hoarse, broken voice, to play on
the coverlet as if on her beloved little piano, and try to sing with
a throat so swollen that there was no music left, a time when she
did not know the familiar faces around her, but addressed them by
wrong names, and called imploringly for her mother. Then Jo grew
frightened, Meg begged to be allowed to write the truth, and even
Hannah said she `would think of it, though there was no danger
Little Women |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: at it together: you can't quarrel in a side-by-side push; but the
moment that even the best men stop pushing, and begin talking, they
mistake their pugnacity for piety, and it's all over. I will not
speak of the crimes which in past times have been committed in the
name of Christ, nor of the follies which are at this hour held to be
consistent with obedience to Him; but I WILL speak of the morbid
corruption and waste of vital power in religious sentiment, by which
the pure strength of that which should be the guiding soul of every
nation, the splendour of its youthful manhood, and spotless light of
its maidenhood, is averted or cast away. You may see continually
girls who have never been taught to do a single useful thing
|
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 Just Folks by Edgar A. Guest: The little toys the youngsters break, for he's the children's friend.
And he's the one that sits all night to watch beside the dead,
And sends the worn-out sorrowers and broken hearts to bed.
The family wouldn't be complete without him night or day,
To smooth the little troubles out and drive the cares away.
When Mother Cooked With Wood
I do not quarrel with the gas,
Our modern range is fine,
The ancient stove was doomed to pass
From Time's grim firing line,
Yet now and then there comes to me
Just Folks |
