| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre: time to time. The duel is nearly equal in point of weapons. To
the venomous fangs of the Lycosa the Wasp opposes her venomous
stiletto. Which of the two bandits shall have the best of it? The
struggle is a hand-to-hand one. The Tarantula has no secondary
means of defence, no cord to bind her victim, no trap to subdue
her. When the Epeira, or Garden Spider, sees an insect entangled
in her great upright web, she hastens up and covers the captive
with corded meshes and silk ribbons by the armful, making all
resistance impossible. When the prey is solidly bound, a prick is
carefully administered with the poison-fangs; then the Spider
retires, waiting for the death-throes to calm down, after which the
The Life of the Spider |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: weeping. Tears fell from every window and gallery; they hissed
upon the hot saucepans of the cooks; they moistened the oats in the
manger; they took the starch out of the ladies' ruffles, and
weakened the wine in the goblets of the guests. Insult was changed
into tenderness in a moment. Those who had barked or stuck out
their tongues at Boris rushed up to kiss his boots; a thousand
terms of endearment were showered upon him.
Still clasping his children to his breast, Prince Alexis mounted
the steps with them. At the top he turned, cleared his throat,
husky from sobbing, and shouted--
"A feast! a feast for all Kinesma! Let there be rivers of vodki,
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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 Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: as they perceived them, and the sounds of some shots followed by
cries.
'Doubtless the Tlascalans are massacring them,' I said. But it was
not so. When a few had been killed the leaders of the Spaniards
found that they waged war upon an unarmed mob, made up for the most
part of aged people, women and children, and their commander,
Bernal Diaz, a merciful man if a rough one, ordered that the
onslaught should cease. Indeed he did more, for when all the able-
bodied men, together with such children as were sufficiently strong
to bear the fatigues of travel, had been sorted out to be sold as
slaves, he suffered the rest of that melancholy company to depart
Montezuma's Daughter |
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 Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: tribute to sorrow; therefore, you see--"
"What, three hearts devoted to you," cried Luigia, "and not one
accepted? A strange star is yours! No doubt I suffer from its fatal
influence, and therefore I must pardon you."
"You are good to be merciful; will you now let me ask you a question?
Just now you spoke of your future, and I see it with my own eyes. Who
are the friends who have suddenly advanced you so far and so
splendidly in your career? Have you made any compact with the devil?"
"Perhaps," said Luigia, laughing.
"Don't laugh," said Sallenauve; "you chose to rush alone and
unprotected into that hell called Paris, and I dread lest you have
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