| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from United States Declaration of Independence: --Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now
the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated
injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment
of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts
be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary
for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate
and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation
till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended,
United States Declaration of Independence |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: which no one must overhear. All the time they talked the servant kept
an eye on one side, while his master looked out on the other.
"The Baron went to the Prefecture of Police this morning between four
and five," said the man, "and he boasted this evening that he should
find the woman he saw in the Bois de Vincennes--he had been promised
it----"
"We are watched!" said Carlos. "By whom?"
"They have already employed Louchard the bailiff."
"That would be child's play," replied Carlos. "We need fear nothing
but the guardians of public safety, the criminal police; and so long
as that is not set in motion, we can go on!"
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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 Nada the Lily by H. Rider Haggard: wolf-man. For with the wolves I hunt and raven, and they know me, and
what I bid them that they do. Stay, Umslopogaas, now you are strong
again, and, if your courage does not fail you, you shall see this very
night. Come now, have you the heart, Umslopogaas?"
Then Umslopogaas rose and laughed aloud. "I am young in years," he
cried, "and scarcely come to the full strength of men; yet hitherto I
have not turned my back on lion or witch, on wolf or man. Now let us
see this impi of yours--this impi black and grey, that runs on four
legs with fangs for spears!"
"You must first bind on the she-wolf's hide, Umslopogaas," quoth
Galazi, "else, before a man could count his fingers twice there would
Nada the Lily |
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 Gambara by Honore de Balzac: soul for ever hovering over the child's head to snatch it from the
atrocious temptations offered by its father,--even then you will have
but a faint idea of this stupendous drama, which needs but little to
make it worthy of comparison with Mozart's /Don Giovanni/. /Don
Giovanni/ is in its perfection the greater, I grant; /Robert le
Diable/ expresses ideas, /Don Giovanni/ arouses sensations. /Don
Giovanni/ is as yet the only musical work in which harmony and melody
are combined in exactly the right proportions. In this lies its only
superiority, for /Robert/ is the richer work. But how vain are such
comparisons since each is so beautiful in its own way!
"To me, suffering as I do from the demon's repeated shocks, Robert
Gambara |
