| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: sanctimonious mien clothes them in a livery of hypocrisy which rogues
can affect to perfection.
And besides, bigots constitute a sort of republic; they all know each
other; the servants they recommend and hand on from one to another are
a race apart, and preserved by them, as horse-breeders will admit no
animal into their stables that has not a pedigree. The more the
impious--as they are thought--come to understand a household of
bigots, the more they perceive that everything is stamped with an
indescribable squalor; they find there, at the same time, an
appearance of avarice and mystery, as in a miser's home, and the dank
scent of cold incense which gives a chill to the stale atmosphere of a
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay: energetic and rather coarse - yet it seemed to Maskull as though a
pure, hard life had done something toward refining them. His
sanguine eyes carried a twisted, puzzled look; some unanswerable
problem was apparently in the forefront of his brain. His face was
hairless; the hair of his head was short and manly; his brow was
wide. He was clothed in a black, sleeveless robe, and bore a long
staff in his hand. There was an air of cleanness and austerity about
the whole man that was attractive.
He went on speaking dispassionately to Maskull, and, while doing so,
kept passing his hand reflectively over his cheeks and chin. "They
all find their way here to die. They come from Matterplay. There
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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 Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: This said, upon the villain forth he leapt;
LXVI
Deadly he wounded him, and that false knight
Nor strikes nor wards nor striveth to be gone;
But, as Medusa's head were in his sight,
Stood like a man new turned to marble stone,
All lances broke, unsheathed all weapons bright,
All quivers emptied were on them alone,
In parts so many were the traitors cleft,
That those dead men had no dead bodies left.
LXVII
|
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 Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: should sanction it by your indulgence is what I will not
allow."
"But in truth," said Montalais, rebelling again, "I do not
know under what pretense you treat me thus. I am doing no
harm, I suppose?"
"And that great good-for-nothing, mademoiselle," resumed
Madame de Saint-Remy, pointing to Malicorne, "is he here to
do any good, I ask you?"
"He is neither here for good nor harm, madame; he comes to
see me, that is all."
"It is all very well! all very well!" said the old lady.
Ten Years Later |
