| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Recruit by Honore de Balzac: deal of property in the neighborhood of Carentan, she took refuge in
that town, hoping that the influence of the Terror would be little
felt there. This expectation, based on a knowledge of the region, was
well-founded. The Revolution committed but few ravages in Lower
Normandy. Though Madame de Dey had known none but the nobles of her
own caste when she visited her property in former years, she now felt
it advisable to open her house to the principle bourgeois of the town,
and to the new governmental authorities; trying to make them pleased
at obtaining her society, without arousing either hatred or jealousy.
Gracious and kind, gifted by nature with that inexpressible charm
which can please without having recourse to subserviency or to making
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James: believe he did.
"I will now relate my experience of the power of the Holy Spirit
which took place on the same night. Had any person told
me previous to this that I could have experienced the power of
the Holy Spirit in the manner which I did, I could not have
believed it, and should have thought the person deluded that told
me so. I went directly home after the meeting, and when I got
home I wondered what made me feel so stupid. I retired to rest
soon after I got home, and felt indifferent to the things of
religion until I began to be exercised by the Holy Spirit, which
began in about five minutes after, in the following manner:--
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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 Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: time. Well, if she IS tricking me I shall know it. I'll set the
cleverest of all traps before the appointment is fairly signed, and
I'll read her heart. Ah! my little cats, I know you! for, after all,
women are just what we men are. Twenty-eight years old, virtuous, and
living here in the rue Duphot!--a rare piece of luck and worth
cultivating," thought the elderly butterfly as he fluttered down the
staircase.
"Good heavens! that man, without his glasses, must look funny enough
in a dressing-gown!" thought Celestine, "but the harpoon is in his
back and he'll tow me where I want to go; I am sure now of that
invitation. He has played his part in my comedy."
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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 Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: are saving."
He stood there by the table very erect and dignified, ready to
perish as he had lived - if perish he must - without fear and
without deception.
Andre-Louis came slowly forward until he reached the table on the
other side, and then at last the muscles of his set face relaxed,
and he laughed.
"You laugh?" said M. de La Tour dAzyr, frowning, offended.
"It is so damnably amusing," said Andre-Louis.
"You've an odd sense of humour, M. Moreau."
"Oh, admitted. The unexpected always moves me so. I have found
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