| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Hidden Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac: new painting,--a painting steeped, as it were, in light. He worked
with such passionate ardor that the sweat rolled in great drops from
his bald brow; and his motions seemed to be jerked out of him with
such rapidity and impatience that the young Poussin fancied a demon,
encased with the body of this singular being, was working his hands
fantastically like those of a puppet without, or even against, the
will of their owner. The unnatural brightness of his eyes, the
convulsive movements which seemed the result of some mental
resistance, gave to this fancy of the youth a semblance of truth which
reacted upon his lively imagination. The old man worked on, muttering
half to himself, half to his neophyte:--
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: longer their letters are, the better I like them. I should be very
sorry to receive a charming little lady-like note from any of them;
and I thought you were too much of a lady yourself, Miss Murray, to
talk about the "vulgarity" of writing on a large sheet of paper.'
'Well, I only said it to tease you. But now I want to talk about
the ball; and to tell you that you positively must put off your
holidays till it is over.'
'Why so? - I shall not be present at the ball.'
'No, but you will see the rooms decked out before it begins, and
hear the music, and, above all, see me in my splendid new dress. I
shall be so charming, you'll be ready to worship me - you really
Agnes Grey |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from At the Sign of the Cat & Racket by Honore de Balzac: Father Goriot
Sarrasine
Carigliano, Duchesse de
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
The Peasantry
The Member for Arcis
Guillaume
Cesar Birotteau
Lebas, Joseph
Cesar Birotteau
Cousin Betty
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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 Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: royal highness, on hearing the jingling of spurs in the next
chamber, turned round like a child, without perceiving that
he was continuing to pour out, not into the glass, but upon
the tablecloth.
Madame, who was not so preoccupied as her glorious spouse
was, remarked this distraction of the page.
"Well?" exclaimed she.
"Well!" repeated Monsieur; "what is going on then?"
M. de Saint-Remy, who had just introduced his head through
the doorway, took advantage of the moment.
"Why am I to be disturbed?" said Gaston, helping himself to
Ten Years Later |
