| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: Rabourdin came forward respectfully, and the minister could not evade
him.
"Will your Excellency permit me to see you for a moment in private?"
he said, with a mysterious glance.
The minister looked at the clock and went towards the window, whither
the poor man followed him.
"When may I have the honor of submitting the matter of which I spoke
to your Excellency? I desire to fully explain the plan of
administration to which the paper that was taken belongs--"
"Plan of administration!" exclaimed the minister, frowning, and
hurriedly interrupting him. "If you have anything of that kind to
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from King Lear by William Shakespeare: His answer was, 'The worse.' Of Gloucester's treachery
And of the loyal service of his son
When I inform'd him, then he call'd me sot
And told me I had turn'd the wrong side out.
What most he should dislike seems pleasant to him;
What like, offensive.
Gon. [to Edmund] Then shall you go no further.
It is the cowish terror of his spirit,
That dares not undertake. He'll not feel wrongs
Which tie him to an answer. Our wishes on the way
May prove effects. Back, Edmund, to my brother.
King Lear |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Blix by Frank Norris:
For a few moments Condy had been absent-mindedly snapping the lid
of his cigarette case, while he thought; now he selected a
cigarette, returned the case to his pocket, and fumbled for a
match. But the little gun-metal case he carried was empty. Blix
rose and groped for a moment upon the mantel-shelf, then returned
and handed him a match, and stood over him while he scraped it
under the arm of the chair wherein he sat. Even when his
cigarette was lighted she still stood there, looking at him, the
fingers of her hands clasped in front of her, her hair, one side
of her cheek, her chin, and sweet, round neck outlined by the
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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 Ursula by Honore de Balzac: The next day Savinien wrote his mother a confession in twenty-two
pages. Madame de Portenduere, after weeping for one whole day, wrote
first to her son, promising to get him out of prison, and then to the
Comte de Portenduere and to Admiral Kergarouet.
The letters the abbe had just read and which the poor mother was
holding in her hand and moistening with tears, were the answers to her
appeal, which had arrived that morning, and had almost broken her
heart.
Paris, September, 1829.
To Madame de Portenduere:
Madame,--You cannot doubt the interest which the admiral and I
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