| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Wrong Box by Stevenson & Osbourne: 'That is a painful circumstance,' said Gideon; he glanced
pityingly in the direction of the culprit, and, observing on his
countenance every mark of confusion, pityingly withdrew his eyes.
'And that would be nothing,' continued Mr Dickson sternly, 'but I
wish--I wish from my heart, sir, I could say that Mr Thomas's
hands were clean. He has no excuse; for he was engaged at the
time--and is still engaged--to the belle of Constantinople, Ga.
My friend's conduct was unworthy of the brutes that perish.'
'Ga.?' repeated Gideon enquiringly.
'A contraction in current use,' said Michael. 'Ga. for Georgia,
in The same way as Co. for Company.'
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber: The pantry was fragrant as a garden with spices, and fruit
scents, and the melting, delectable perfume of brown,
freshly-baked dough, sugar-coated. There was one giant
platter devoted wholly to round, plump cakes, with puffy
edges, in the center of each a sunken pool that was all
plum, bearing on its bosom a snowy sifting of powdered
sugar. There were others whose centers were apricot, pure
molten gold in the sunlight. There were speckled expanses
of cheese kuchen, the golden-brown surface showing rich
cracks through which one caught glimpses of the lemon-yellow
cheese beneath--cottage cheese that had been beaten up with
Fanny Herself |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: "Ah, but when she's really hungry!" thought the Frenchman. In spite of
the shudder this thought caused him, the soldier began to measure
curiously the proportions of the panther, certainly one of the most
splendid specimens of its race. She was three feet high and four feet
long without counting her tail; this powerful weapon, rounded like a
cudgel, was nearly three feet long. The head, large as that of a
lioness, was distinguished by a rare expression of refinement. The
cold cruelty of a tiger was dominant, it was true, but there was also
a vague resemblance to the face of a sensual woman. Indeed, the face
of this solitary queen had something of the gaiety of a drunken Nero:
she had satiated herself with blood, and she wanted to play.
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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 At the Sign of the Cat & Racket by Honore de Balzac: too fast never grow rich. A hundred thousand crowns, which is your
fortune, will not buy up Paris. It is all very well to look forward to
a few hundred thousand francs to be yours some day; I shall keep you
waiting for them as long as possible, by Gad! So I took your lover
aside, and a man who managed the Lecocq bankruptcy had not much
difficulty in persuading the artist to marry under a settlement of his
wife's money on herself. I will keep an eye on the marriage contract
to see that what he is to settle on you is safely tied up. So now, my
child, I hope to be a grandfather, by Gad! I will begin at once to lay
up for my grandchildren; but swear to me, here and now, never to sign
any papers relating to money without my advice; and if I go soon to
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