| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Madame Firmiani by Honore de Balzac: honor; they talk loudly, have retreating foreheads, and play high.
"Madame Firmiani a hundred thousand francs a year? nonsense, you are
crazy! Some people will persist in giving millions with the liberality
of authors, to whom it doesn't cost a penny to dower their heroines.
Madame Firmiani is simply a coquette, who has lately ruined a young
man, and now prevents him from making a fine marriage. If she were not
so handsome she wouldn't have a penny."
Ah, THAT ONE--of course you recognize him--belongs to the species
Envious. There is no need to sketch him; the species is as well known
as that of the felis domestica. But how explain the perennial vigor of
envy?--a vice that brings nothing in!
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: our particular satisfaction, five of them were Scots, who appeared
also to be men of great experience in business, and of very good
substance.
When we had travelled one day's journey, the guides, who were five
in number, called all the passengers, except the servants, to a
great council, as they called it. At this council every one
deposited a certain quantity of money to a common stock, for the
necessary expense of buying forage on the way, where it was not
otherwise to be had, and for satisfying the guides, getting horses,
and the like. Here, too, they constituted the journey, as they
call it, viz. they named captains and officers to draw us all up,
Robinson Crusoe |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Beauty and The Beast by Bayard Taylor: fulfilled, and then--one thing was certain; they would never again
separate.
"The sooner the better," said David. "It shall be the visit to our
uncle and cousins in Indiana. You will come with me as far as
Harrisburg; it may be easier to part there than here. And our new
neighbors, the Bradleys, will want your help for a day or two,
after getting home."
"It is less than death," Jonathan answered, "and why should it seem
to be more? We must think of father and mother, and all those
twelve years; now I know what the burden was."
"And we have never really borne any part of it! Father must have
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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 A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde: MRS. ARBUTHNOT. Yes!
LORD ILLINGWORTH. I don't admit for a moment that the boy is right
in what he says. I don't admit that it is any duty of mine to
marry you. I deny it entirely. But to get my son back I am ready
- yes, I am ready to marry you, Rachel - and to treat you always
with the deference and respect due to my wife. I will marry you as
soon as you choose. I give you my word of honour.
MRS. ARBUTHNOT. You made that promise to me once before and broke
it.
LORD ILLINGWORTH. I will keep it now. And that will show you that
I love my son, at least as much as you love him. For when I marry
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