| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Bucolics by Virgil: What could I do? how else from bonds be freed,
Or otherwhere find gods so nigh to aid?
There, Meliboeus, I saw that youth to whom
Yearly for twice six days my altars smoke.
There instant answer gave he to my suit,
"Feed, as before, your kine, boys, rear your bulls."
MELIBOEUS
So in old age, you happy man, your fields
Will still be yours, and ample for your need!
Though, with bare stones o'erspread, the pastures all
Be choked with rushy mire, your ewes with young
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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 Cruise of the Jasper B. by Don Marquis: intended as a compliment; Lady Agatha was not a small woman.
"Elmer," said Lady Agatha, "tell Mr. Cleggett how the mistake
occurred."
Oratory was evidently not Elmer's strongest point. But he braced
himself for the effort and began:
"When th' skoit here says she wants the big boob punched I says
to m'self, foist of all: 'Is it right or is it wrong?' Oncet
youse got that reform high sign put onto youse, youse can't be
too careful. Do youse get me? So when th' skoit here puts it up
to me I thinks foist off: 'Is it right or is it wrong?' See?
So I thinks it over and I says to m'self th' big boob's been
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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 Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: years.'" And D'Artagnan drawing the order signed by the king
from his pocket, held it towards De Wardes.
Remarking that the young man was not quite convinced, and
received the warning as an idle threat, he shrugged his
shoulders and walked leisurely towards the table, upon which
lay a writing-case and a pen, the length of which would have
terrified the topographical Porthos. De Wardes then saw that
nothing could well be more seriously intended than the
threat in question for the Bastile, even at that period, was
already held in dread. He advanced a step towards Raoul,
and, in an almost unintelligible voice, said, -- "I offer my
Ten Years Later |
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 Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy: For the rest, from the fact that he was bad, we must conclude
that he was irresponsible. He was a musician, a violinist. Not
a professional musician, but half man of the world, half artist.
His father, a country proprietor, was a neighbor of my father's.
The father had become ruined, and the children, three boys, were
all sent away. Our man, the youngest, was sent to his godmother
at Paris. There they placed him in the Conservatory, for he
showed a taste for music. He came out a violinist, and played in
concerts."
On the point of speaking evil of the other, Posdnicheff checked
himself, stopped, and said suddenly:
The Kreutzer Sonata |
