| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Princess of Parms by Edgar Rice Burroughs: been the property of the two chieftains I had slain, and now,
by the customs of the Tharks, it had become mine. At my
direction they placed the stuff in one of the back rooms, and
then departed, only to return with a second load, which
they advised me constituted the balance of my goods. On the
second trip they were accompanied by ten or fifteen other
women and youths, who, it seemed, formed the retinues of
the two chieftains.
They were not their families, nor their wives, nor their
servants; the relationship was peculiar, and so unlike
anything known to us that it is most difficult to describe.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: very fond you were of my neighbor, M. Goriot. And, indeed, how
could you help loving him? He adores you so passionately that I
am jealous already. We talked about you this morning for two
hours. So this evening I was quite full of all that your father
had told me, and while I was dining with my cousin I said that
you could not be as beautiful as affectionate. Mme. de Beauseant
meant to gratify such warm admiration, I think, when she brought
me here, telling me, in her gracious way, that I should see you."
"Then, even now, I owe you a debt of gratitude, monsieur," said
the banker's wife. "We shall be quite old friends in a little
while."
Father Goriot |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Pierre Grassou by Honore de Balzac: together over the gastric region, and endeavouring, but in vain, to
button it, the button mould having escaped from its capsule of cloth.
"Wood is dear," he said to Grassou.
"Ah!"
"The British are after me" (slang term for creditors) "Gracious! do
you paint such things as that?"
"Hold your tongue!"
"Ah! to be sure, yes."
The Vervelle family, extremely shocked by this extraordinary
apparition, passed from its ordinary red to a cherry-red, two shades
deeper.
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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 Koran: is that we will do with the sinners.
Verily, when it is said to them, 'There is no god but God,' they get
too big with pride, and say, What! shall we leave our gods for an
infatuated poet?' Nay, he came with the truth, and verified the
apostles; verily, ye are going to taste of grievous woe, nor shall
ye be rewarded save for that which ye have done!
Except God's sincere servants, these shall have a stated provision
of fruits, and they shall be honoured in the gardens of pleasure, upon
couches facing each other; they shall be served all round with a cup
from a spring, white and delicious to those who drink, wherein is no
insidious spirit, nor shall they be drunk therewith; and with them
The Koran |
