| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Passion in the Desert by Honore de Balzac: resounded through the cave like the last vibrations of an organ in a
church. The man, understanding the importance of his caresses,
redoubled them in such a way as to surprise and stupefy his imperious
courtesan. When he felt sure of having extinguished the ferocity of
his capricious companion, whose hunger had so fortunately been
satisfied the day before, he got up to go out of the cave; the panther
let him go out, but when he had reached the summit of the hill she
sprang with the lightness of a sparrow hopping from twig to twig, and
rubbed herself against his legs, putting up her back after the manner
of all the race of cats. Then regarding her guest with eyes whose
glare had softened a little, she gave vent to that wild cry which
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: with more grace. There was no great harm in Mrs. Brash; like
most loquacious people, she was kind-hearted, with a tendency
to corpulence and good works. She was also afflicted with a
high color, and a chronic eruption of diamonds. Her husband
had an eye for them, having begun life as a jeweller's
apprentice, and having developed sufficient sharpness of vision
in other directions to become a millionnaire, and a
Congressman, and to let his wife do as she pleased.
What goes forth from the lips may vary in dialect, but wine and
oysters speak the universal language. The supper-table brought
our party together, and they compared notes.
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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 Danny's Own Story by Don Marquis: a-bear to think of tea, with poor Hennerey a-hang-
ing out there in the shop. But she was kind o'
enjoying all that fuss being made over her, too.
And all the other women says:
"Poor thing!" But all the same they was mad
she said she didn't want any tea, for they all wanted
some and didn't feel free without she took it too.
Which she said she would after they'd coaxed a
while and made her see her duty.
So they all goes out to the kitchen, bringing along
some of the best room chairs, Elmira coming too,
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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 Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: certain that it was no mistake. Here, then, is this confession, in
which, according to the critics of Madame de Chavoncourt's drawing-
room, Albert had imitated some modern writers who, for lack of
inventiveness, relate their private joys, their private griefs, or the
mysterious events of their own life.
*****
AMBITION FOR LOVE'S SAKE
In 1823 two young men, having agreed as a plan for a holiday to make a
tour through Switzerland, set out from Lucerne one fine morning in the
month of July in a boat pulled by three oarsmen. They started for
Fluelen, intending to stop at every notable spot on the lake of the
Albert Savarus |
