| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Nana, Miller's Daughter, Captain Burle, Death of Olivier Becaille by Emile Zola: Just then Fauchery, who had been prowling about on the O.P. side
ever since Bordenave had forbidden him the other, came and
buttonholed the count in order to keep himself in countenance and
offered at the same time to show him the dressing rooms. An
increasing sense of languor had left Muffat without any power of
resistance, and after looking round for the Marquis de Chouard, who
had disappeared, he ended by following the journalist. He
experienced a mingled feeling of relief and anxiety as he left the
wings whence he had been listening to Nana's songs.
Fauchery had already preceded him up the staircase, which was closed
on the first and second floors by low-paneled doors. It was one of
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mosses From An Old Manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne: a hue of superabundant life.
"At least," thought he, "her poison has not yet insinuated itself
into my system. I am no flower to perish in her grasp."
With that thought he turned his eyes on the bouquet, which he had
never once laid aside from his hand. A thrill of indefinable
horror shot through his frame on perceiving that those dewy
flowers were already beginning to droop; they wore the aspect of
things that had been fresh and lovely yesterday. Giovanni grew
white as marble, and stood motionless before the mirror, staring
at his own reflection there as at the likeness of something
frightful. He remembered Baglioni's remark about the fragrance
Mosses From An Old Manse |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: physical strength and in beauty, as well as in intellect and in
virtue. And then, in that light, it does seem to me, that this
Institution--small now, but I do hope some day to become great and
to become the mother institution of many and valuable children--is
one of the noblest, most right-minded, straightforward, and
practical conceptions that I have come across for some years.
We all know the difficulties of sanitary legislation. One looks
at them at times almost with despair. I have my own reasons, with
which I will not trouble this meeting, for looking on them with
more despair than ever: not on account of the government of the
time, or any possible government that could come to England, but
|
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 Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence: what a ghastly thing, this youth! You felt as old as Methuselah, and
yet the thing fizzed somehow, and didn't let you be comfortable. A mean
sort of life! And no prospect! She almost wished she had gone off with
Mick, and made her life one long cocktail party, and jazz evening.
Anyhow that was better than just mooning yourself into the grave.
On one of her bad days she went out alone to walk in the wood,
ponderously, heeding nothing, not even noticing where she was. The
report of a gun not far off startled and angered her.
Then, as she went, she heard voices, and recoiled. People! She didn't
want people. But her quick ear caught another sound, and she roused; it
was a child sobbing. At once she attended; someone was ill-treating a
Lady Chatterley's Lover |
