| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: particularly annoyed her. A letter without its envelope, she
was wont to say, was like a man without a face, or a key
without a string,--something incomplete, preposterous. As
usual, however, he strode across her prejudices, and said, "I
have something to tell you. It is a fact."
"Is it?" said Aunt Jane, curtly. "That is refreshing in these
times."
"A good beginning," said Kate. "Go on. You have prepared us
for something incredible."
"You will think it so," said Malbone. "Emilia is engaged to
Mr. John Lambert." And he went out of the room.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain: "Oh, my goodness, oh, my goodness gracious,
dah's de lake agi'n!" yelled Jim, just then. "NOW,
Mars Tom, what you gwine to say?"
Yes, sir, there was the lake again, away yonder
across the desert, perfectly plain, trees and all, just
the same as it was before. I says:
"I reckon you're satisfied now, Tom Sawyer."
But he says, perfectly ca'm:
"Yes, satisfied there ain't no lake there."
Jim says:
"DON'T talk so, Mars Tom -- it sk'yers me to hear
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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 Unconscious Comedians by Honore de Balzac: left the cafe, thinking perhaps that the flush on his face was rather
vivid.
"That rat, who is just leaving a rehearsal at the Opera-house, is
going home to eat a miserable dinner, and will return about three
o'clock to dress, if she dances in the ballet this evening--as she
will, to-day being Monday. This rat is already an old rat for she is
thirteen years of age. Two years from now that creature may be worth
sixty thousand francs; she will be all or nothing, a great danseuse or
a marcheuse, a celebrated person or a vulgar courtesan. She has worked
hard since she was eight years old. Such as you see her, she is worn
out with fatigue; she exhausted her body this morning in the dancing-
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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 The Message by Honore de Balzac: "Madame, here comes your husband!"
"Have I a husband?" and with those words she fled away out of
sight.
"Well," cried the Count, "dinner is growing cold.--Come,
monsieur."
Thereupon I followed the master of the house into the dining-
room. Dinner was served with all the luxury which we have learned
to expect in Paris. There were five covers laid, three for the
Count and Countess and their little daughter; my own, which
should have been HIS; and another for the canon of Saint-Denis,
who said grace, and then asked:
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