| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien DeTroyes: hall, but he was not at all pleased, and would have willingly
dispensed with her.
(Vv. 1207-1292.) In the midst of the hall a bed had been set up,
the sheets of which were by no means soiled, but were white and
wide and well spread out. The bed was not of shredded straw or
of coarse spreads. But a covering of two silk cloths had been
laid upon the couch. The damsel lay down first, but without
removing her chemise. He had great trouble in removing his hose
and in untying the knots. He sweated with the trouble of it all;
yet, in the midst of all the trouble, his promise impels and
drives him on. Is this then an actual force? Yes, virtually so;
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Desert Gold by Zane Grey: of an automobile and a "Holla!" He went forward to the front yard
and there saw a car he thought resembled one he had seen in Casita.
It contained a familiar-looking driver, but the three figures in
gray coats and veils were strange to him. By the time he had gotten
to the road he decided two were women and the other a man. At the
moment their faces were emerging from dusty veils. Belding saw an
elderly, sallow-faced, rather frail-appearing man who was an entire
stranger to him; a handsome dark-eyed woman whose hair showed
white through her veil; and a superbly built girl, whose face made
Belding at once think of Dick Gale.
"Is this Mr. Tom Belding, inspector of immigration?" inquired the
Desert Gold |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Sarrasine by Honore de Balzac: Sarrasine's valet had never seen his master so painstaking in the
matter of dress. His finest sword, a gift from Bouchardon, the bow-
knot Clotilde gave him, his coat with gold braid, his waistcoat of
cloth of silver, his gold snuff-box, his valuable watch, everything
was taken from its place, and he arrayed himself like a maiden about
to appear before her first lover. At the appointed hour, drunk with
love and boiling over with hope, Sarrasine, his nose buried in his
cloak, hurried to the rendezvous appointed by the old woman. She was
waiting.
" 'You are very late,' she said. 'Come.'
"She led the Frenchman through several narrow streets and stopped in
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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 School For Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: our genealogy in full. [Taking pedigree down.] Here, Careless,
you shall have no common bit of mahogany, here's the family tree
for you, you rogue! This shall be your hammer, and now you may
knock down my ancestors with their own pedigree.
SIR OLIVER. What an unnatural rogue!--an ex post facto parricide!
[Aside.]
CARELESS. Yes, yes, here's a list of your generation indeed;--
faith, Charles, this is the most convenient thing you could have
found for the business, for 'twill not only serve as a hammer,
but a catalogue into the bargain. Come, begin--A-going, a-going,
a-going!
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