| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Unsocial Socialist by George Bernard Shaw: taking the pen. And, while Jane was murmuring at her
churlishness, she wrote in a bold hand:
"I have broken the rules by sliding down the banisters to-day
with Miss Carpenter and Miss Wylie. Miss Wylie went first."
"You wretch!" exclaimed Agatha, reading over her shoulder. "And
your father is an admiral!"
"I think it is only fair," said Miss Lindsay, quailing, but
assuming the tone of a moralist. "It is perfectly true."
"All my money was made in trade," said Agatha; "but I should be
ashamed to save myself by shifting blame to your aristocratic
shoulders. You pitiful thing! Here: give me the pen."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers by Jonathan Swift: have consulted the stars of his nativity by my own rules, and
find he will infallibly die upon the 29th of March next, about
eleven at night, of a raging fever; therefore I advise him to
consider of it, and settle his affairs in time.
The month of April will be observable for the death of many great
persons. On the 4th will die the Cardinal de Noailles, Archbishop
of Paris: On the 11th the young Prince of Asturias, son to the
Duke of Anjou: On the 14th a great peer of this realm will die at
his country-house: On the 19th an old layman of great fame for
learning: and on the 23rd an eminent goldsmith in Lombard-Street.
I could mention others, both at home and abroad, if I did not
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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 Menexenus by Plato: injurers when they were being enslaved, but she was softened, and did in
fact send out aid, and delivered the Hellenes from slavery, and they were
free until they afterwards enslaved themselves. Whereas, to the great king
she refused to give the assistance of the state, for she could not forget
the trophies of Marathon and Salamis and Plataea; but she allowed exiles
and volunteers to assist him, and they were his salvation. And she
herself, when she was compelled, entered into the war, and built walls and
ships, and fought with the Lacedaemonians on behalf of the Parians. Now
the king fearing this city and wanting to stand aloof, when he saw the
Lacedaemonians growing weary of the war at sea, asked of us, as the price
of his alliance with us and the other allies, to give up the Hellenes in
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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 Gambara by Honore de Balzac: that same evening he was accused of trying to poison the whole
conclave, and was obliged to leave Rome and Italy without waiting to
pack up. This disaster was the last straw. Now," and Gambara put his
finger to his forehead and shook his head.
"He is a good fellow, all the same," he added. "My wife will tell you
that we owe him many a good turn."
Giardini now came in carefully bearing a dish which he set in the
middle of the table, and he then modestly resumed his seat next to
Andrea, whom he served first. As soon as he had tasted the mess, the
Count felt that an impassable gulf divided the second mouthful from
the first. He was much embarrassed, and very anxious not to annoy the
Gambara |
