| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Summer by Edith Wharton: Charity understood what associations the name must
have called up, and felt the uselessness of struggling
against the unseen influences in Harney's life.
When she came down from her room for supper he was not
there; and while she waited in the porch she recalled
the tone in which Mr. Royall had commented the day
before on their early start. Mr. Royall sat at her
side, his chair tilted back, his broad black boots with
side-elastics resting against the lower bar of the
railings. His rumpled grey hair stood up above his
forehead like the crest of an angry bird, and 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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: of the most upright man in Bideford."
"Humph. So I thought myself once, sir; and well I have proved it.
But I'll be plain with you, sir. You've heard how--how I've fared
since you saw me last?"
Amyas nodded his head.
"I thought so. Shame rides post. Now then, Captain Leigh, listen
to me. I, being a plain man and a burgher, and one that never drew
iron in my life except to mend a pen, ask you, being a gentleman
and a captain and a man of honor, with a weapon to your side, and
harness to your back--what would you do in my place?"
"Humph!" said Amyas, "that would very much depend on whether 'my
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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 Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: francs from the Presidente. This meant an abode such as befitted his
future prospects. Finally, he was repaying Dr. Poulain.
There are hard, ill-natured beings, goaded by distress or disease into
active malignity, that yet entertain diametrically opposed sentiments
with a like degree of vehemence. If Richelieu was a good hater, he was
no less a good friend. Fraisier, in his gratitude, would have let
himself be cut in two for Poulain.
So absorbed was he in these visions of a comfortable and prosperous
life, that he did not see the Presidente come in with the letter in
her hand, and she, looking at him, thought him less ugly now than at
first. He was about to be useful to her, and as soon as a tool belongs
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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 Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: him, she retreated to the foot of the staircase and opened the swing-
door; then, scarcely knowing where she was going, Eugenie reached the
corner near Nanon's den, in the darkest end of the passage. There
Charles caught her hand and drew her to his heart. Passing his arm
about her waist, he made her lean gently upon him. Eugenie no longer
resisted; she received and gave the purest, the sweetest, and yet,
withal, the most unreserved of kisses.
"Dear Eugenie, a cousin is better than a brother, for he can marry
you," said Charles.
"So be it!" cried Nanon, opening the door of her lair.
The two lovers, alarmed, fled into the hall, where Eugenie took up her
Eugenie Grandet |
