| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dracula by Bram Stoker: trouble around my house of late that I could do without any more.
I have been curious, too, as to what you mean.
"Quincey and I talked it over, but the more we talked,
the more puzzled we got, till now I can say for myself that I'm
about up a tree as to any meaning about anything."
"Me too," said Quincey Morris laconically.
"Oh," said the Professor, "then you are nearer the beginning,
both of you, than friend John here, who has to go a long way
back before he can even get so far as to begin."
It was evident that he recognized my return to my old doubting frame
of mind without my saying a word. Then, turning to the other two,
Dracula |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: sat night and day for more than a fortnight. The good preceptor,
Honorato Juan, afterwards Bishop of Osma, wrestled in prayer for the
lad the whole night through. His prayer was answered: probably it
had been answered already, without his being aware of it. Be that
as it may, about dawn Don Carlos's heavy breathing ceased; he fell
into a quiet sleep; and when he awoke all perceived at once that he
was saved.
He did not recover his sight, seemingly on account of the
erysipelas, for a week more. He then opened his eyes upon the
miraculous image of Atocha, and vowed that, if he recovered, he
would give to the Virgin, at four different shrines in Spain, gold
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Barlaam and Ioasaph by St. John of Damascus: of that which I say? Behold us, who by them have been advanced
to this honour, repaying them for their kindness by honouring
their worshippers and chastising the runagates."
Now when the king had ended all this idle parleying, gainsaying
and slandering of our religion, and belauding and praising of his
idolatry, the saintly young prince saw that the matter needed no
further to be hid in a corner, but to be lighted and made plain
to the eyes of all; and, full of boldness and courage, he said:
"That which I have done, sir, I will not deny. I have fled from
darkness and run to the light: I have left error and joined the
household of truth: I have deserted the service of devils, and
|
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 Eve and David by Honore de Balzac: sum of forty francs, that we might try our luck at play for you.
Nathan, Blondet, and I had such luck (as we were not playing for
ourselves) that we were rich enough to ask La Torpille, des
Lupeaulx's sometime 'rat,' to supper. Frascati certainly owed us
that much. Florine undertook the shopping, and added three fine
shirts to the purchases. Nathan sends you a cane. Blondet, who won
three hundred francs, is sending you a gold chain; and the gold
watch, the size of a forty-franc piece, is from La Torpille; some
idiot gave the thing to her, and it will not go. 'Trumpery
rubbish,' she says, 'like the man that owned it.' Bixiou, who came
to find us up at the Rocher de Cancale, wished to enclose a bottle
|
