| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: said Hans and Marie herself to tell them the story, since I was too weak
to do so.
Thus adjured, the little Hottentot, smothered as he was in blood, stood
up. In the simple, dramatic style characteristic of his race, he
narrated all that had happened since he met the woman on the veld but
little over twelve hours before, till the arrival of the rescue party.
Never have I seen a tale followed with deeper interest, and when at last
Hans pointed to me lying on the ground and said, "There is he who did
these things which it might be thought no man could do--he, but a boy,"
even from those phlegmatic Dutchmen there came a general cheer. But,
lifting myself upon my hands, I called out:
Marie |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Treatise on Parents and Children by George Bernard Shaw: of a single child can, than the prime minister has of working on the
affections of any individual voter.
Children as Nuisances
Experienced parents, when children's rights are preached to them, very
naturally ask whether children are to be allowed to do what they like.
The best reply is to ask whether adults are to be allowed to do what
they like. The two cases are the same. The adult who is nasty is not
allowed to do what he likes: neither can the child who likes to be
nasty. There is no difference in principle between the rights of a
child and those of an adult: the difference in their cases is one of
circumstance. An adult is not supposed to be punished except by
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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 The Marriage Contract by Honore de Balzac: that sum sufficient, Monsieur le comte, to enjoy, in all countries,
the luxuries of life, and to satisfy all your wants and caprices?
Believe me, a young couple often feel the need of a third member of
the household; and, I ask you, what third member could be so desirable
as a good mother?"
"A little paradise!" exclaimed the old notary.
Shocked to see his client's joy at this proposal, Mathias sat down on
an ottoman, his head in his hands, plunged in reflections that were
evidently painful. He knew well the involved phraseology in which
notaries and lawyers wrap up, intentionally, malicious schemes, and he
was not the man to be taken in by it. He now began, furtively, to
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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 Chouans by Honore de Balzac: now warming them, did not turn her head as Montauran left the room,
thus disappointing those present, who were anxious to see her.
Francine alone saw the change produced upon the company by the
departure of the young chief. The gentlemen gathered hastily round
Madame du Gua, and during a conversation carried on in an undertone
between them, they all turned several times to look curiously at the
stranger.
"You know Montauran," Madame du Gua said to them; "he has fallen in
love with that worthless girl, and, as you can easily understand, he
thinks all my warnings selfish. Our friends in Paris, Messieurs de
Valois and d'Esgrignon, have warned him of a trap set for him by
The Chouans |
