| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: Self beyond the grave? Thus even the Pope was censured at the tribunal
of the priest and the young devotee. To be always in the right is a
feeling which absorbs every other in these tyrannous souls.
For some time past a secret struggle had been going on between the
ideas of the husband and wife, and the young man was soon weary of a
battle to which there could be no end. What man, what temper, can
endure the sight of a hypocritically affectionate face and categorical
resistance to his slightest wishes? What is to be done with a wife who
takes advantage of his passion to protect her coldness, who seems
determined on being blandly inexorable, prepares herself ecstatically
to play the martyr, and looks on her husband as a scourge from God, a
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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 American by Henry James: I have come across this summer, but none of them came up to my notion,
or anywhere near it. I should have enjoyed all this a thousand times
more if I had had the lady just mentioned by my side. The nearest
approach to her was a Unitarian minister from Boston, who very soon
demanded a separation, for incompatibility of temper. He told me I
was low-minded, immoral, a devotee of 'art for art'--whatever that is:
all of which greatly afflicted me, for he was really a sweet little fellow.
But shortly afterwards I met an Englishman, with whom I struck up an
acquaintance which at first seemed to promise well--a very bright man,
who writes in the London papers and knows Paris nearly as well as Tristram.
We knocked about for a week together, but he very soon gave me up
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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 Prince Otto by Robert Louis Stevenson: 'Your Highness . . . . ' began the knight of the bottle.
'Nonsense! you are a Republican,' cried Otto; 'what have you to do
with highnesses? But let us continue to ride forward. Since you so
much desire it, I cannot find it in my heart to deprive you of my
company. And for that matter, I have a question to address to you.
Why, being so great a body of men - for you are a great body -
fifteen thousand, I have heard, but that will be understated; am I
right?'
The man gurgled in his throat.
'Why, then, being so considerable a party,' resumed Otto, 'do you
not come before me boldly with your wants? - what do I say? with
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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 The Vicar of Tours by Honore de Balzac: as captain of a corvette in a coming promotion lately announced by the
minister of the Navy, received a letter from one of his friends
warning him that there was some intention of putting him on the
retired list. Greatly astonished by this information he started for
Paris immediately, and went at once to the minister, who seemed to be
amazed himself, and even laughed at the baron's fears. The next day,
however, in spite of the minister's assurance, Monsieur de Listomere
made inquiries in the different offices. By an indiscretion (often
practised by heads of departments in favor of their friends) one of
the secretaries showed him a document confirming the fatal news, which
was only waiting the signature of the director, who was ill, to be
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