| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: repeated coldly.
"But you see--she is inexorable," said Albert, pointing to Francesca.
"You will marry Mademoiselle Sidonie de Chavoncourt," said the Abbe
calmly for the third time.
This time Albert understood. The Vicar-General would not be implicated
in a scheme which at last smiled on the despairing politician. A word
more would have compromised the priest's dignity and honor.
"To-morrow evening at the Hotel de Rupt you will meet Madame de
Chavoncourt and her second daughter. You can thank her beforehand for
what she is going to do for you, and tell her that your gratitude is
unbounded, that you are hers body and soul, that henceforth your
Albert Savarus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: a good, they could not appear bad for any one?
Here I interposed and said to them: If you two were having an argument
about equitation and what was the best way of riding, supposing that I knew
the art myself, I should try to bring you to an agreement. For I should be
ashamed if I were present and did not do what I could to prevent your
difference. And I should do the same if you were quarrelling about any
other art and were likely, unless you agreed on the point in dispute, to
part as enemies instead of as friends. But now, when we are contending
about a thing of which the usefulness continues during the whole of life,
and it makes an enormous difference whether we are to regard it as
beneficial or not,--a thing, too, which is esteemed of the highest
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: praising everything you do and everything you say. Whilst, conversely,
to that most harsh and grating of all sounds, the language of abuse,
your ears are sealed, since no one cares to speak evil against a
monarch to his face.
[23] Cf. Cic. "pro Arch." 20, "Themistoclem illum dixisse aiunt cum ex
eo quaereretur, 'quod acroama aut cujus vocem libentissime
audiret': 'ejus, a quo sua virtus optime praedicaretur.'"
Then Hiero: And what pleasure do you suppose mere abstinence from evil
words implies, when it is an open secret that those silent persons are
cherishing all evil thoughts against the tyrant?[24] What mirth, do
you imagine, is to be extracted from their panegyrics who are
|
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 Riverman by Stewart Edward White: other hands."
"I suppose so," agreed Orde, a trifle helplessly.
"Therefore I had to act without you," Newmark finished. "I knew
you'd agree. That's right: isn't it?" he insisted.
"Yes, that's right," agreed Orde drearily.
"You'll find copies of the contract on your desk," Newmark closed
the matter. "And there's the tax lists. I wish you'd run them
over."
"Joe," replied Orde, "I--I don't think I'll stay down town this
morning. I--"
Newmark glanced up keenly.
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