| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Walking by Henry David Thoreau: In society, in the best institutions of men, it is easy to detect
a certain precocity. When we should still be growing children, we
are already little men. Give me a culture which imports much muck
from the meadows, and deepens the soil--not that which trusts to
heating manures, and improved implements and modes of culture
only!
Many a poor sore-eyed student that I have heard of would grow
faster, both intellectually and physically, if, instead of
sitting up so very late, he honestly slumbered a fool's
allowance.
There may be an excess even of informing light. Niepce, a
Walking |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Unconscious Comedians by Honore de Balzac: from the cards, was arrested, tried, and condemned at the court of
assizes. Madame Fontaine, who predicts the future eight times out of
ten, was never able to know if she would win or lose in a lottery."
"It is the same thing in magnetism," remarked Bixiou. "A man can't
magnetize himself."
"Heavens! now we come to magnetism!" cried Gazonal. "Ah ca! do you
know everything?"
"Friend Gazonal," replied Bixiou, gravely, "to be able to laugh at
everything one must know everything. As for me, I've been in Paris
since my childhood; I've lived, by means of my pencil, on its follies
and absurdities, at the rate of five caricatures a month.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: married a spendthrift he would have ruined me. If I had given myself
to an ardent and pleasure-loving young man, perhaps I could not have
retained him; he might have left me, and I should have died of
jealousy. For I am jealous!" she said, in a tone of excitement, which
was like the thunderclap of a passing storm. "But Monsieur de Mortsauf
loves me as much as he is capable of loving; all that his heart
contains of affection he pours at my feet, like the Magdalen's cup of
ointment. Believe me, a life of love is an exception to the laws of
this earth; all flowers fade; great joys and emotions have a morrow of
evil--if a morrow at all. Real life is a life of anguish; its image is
in that nettle growing there at the foot of the wall,--no sun can
The Lily of the Valley |
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 Cromwell by William Shakespeare: To make a show of what I hope you are not;
But I commend you and tis well done:
This is the only way to bring your gain.
CROMWELL.
My gain! I had rather chain me to an oar,
And like a slave there toil out all my life,
Before I'd live so base a slave as thou:
I, like an hypocrite, to make a show
Of seeming virtue and a devil within!
No, Bagot, would thy conscience were as clear:
Poor Banister ne'er had been troubled here.
|
