| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Duchess of Padua by Oscar Wilde: We will ride hence, and by to-morrow night -
GUIDO
It cannot be.
MORANZONE
Nay, but it shall.
GUIDO
Listen, Lord Moranzone,
I am resolved not to kill this man.
MORANZONE
Surely my ears are traitors, speak again:
It cannot be but age has dulled my powers,
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: Vaudeville Theatre were but bold enough to pay for a few newspaper
articles, that would secure fifty performances, and six thousand
francs for the author's rights, if only I were to cry it up in my
columns.
"To proceed:--
OR ROMAN REVENGE 219
The Duchess of Bracciano found
her glove. Adolphe, who had brought
her back to the orange grove, might
certainly have supposed that there
was some purpose in her forgetful-
The Muse of the Department |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Macbeth by William Shakespeare: Ban. Too cruell, any where.
Deare Duff, I prythee contradict thy selfe,
And say, it is not so.
Enter Macbeth, Lenox, and Rosse.
Macb. Had I but dy'd an houre before this chance,
I had liu'd a blessed time: for from this instant,
There's nothing serious in Mortalitie:
All is but Toyes: Renowne and Grace is dead,
The Wine of Life is drawne, and the meere Lees
Is left this Vault, to brag of.
Enter Malcolme and Donalbaine.
Macbeth |
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 King James Bible: the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the
thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon
the place of the blood of the trespass offering:
LEV 14:29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall
put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement
for him before the LORD.
LEV 14:30 And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the
young pigeons, such as he can get;
LEV 14:31 Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering,
and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the
priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the
King James Bible |
