| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac: have no use. All that I can do for you is to place that sum, in my
name, with the notary Dupuis. He is a religious man; you can see him
every Sunday in the warden's pew in our church. Notaries, you know,
never give receipts, therefore I could not give you one myself; I can
only promise to leave among my papers, in case of death, a memorandum
which will secure the restitution of the money into your hands. The
affair, you see, is one of blind confidence, and I am very unwilling
to make it. If I do so, it is only to oblige a person whose piety and
the charitable use she intends to make of the proceeds of her little
fortune entitle her to my good-will."
"If monsieur thinks that the matter cannot be otherwise arranged--"
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: In transports of this kind, the heart, in spite of the
understanding, will always say too much.
THE LETTER. AMIENS.
FORTUNE had not smiled upon La Fleur; for he had been unsuccessful
in his feats of chivalry, - and not one thing had offered to
signalise his zeal for my service from the time that he had entered
into it, which was almost four-and-twenty hours. The poor soul
burn'd with impatience; and the Count de L-'s servant coming with
the letter, being the first practicable occasion which offer'd, La
Fleur had laid hold of it; and, in order to do honour to his
master, had taken him into a back parlour in the auberge, and
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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 Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso: But for the sun inclined fast to west,
That night there would their chieftain take his rest.
LVII
Their canvas castles up they quickly rear,
And build a city in an hour's space.
When lo, disguised in unusual gear,
Two barons bold approachen gan the place;
Their semblance kind, and mild their gestures were,
Peace in their hands, and friendship in their face,
From Egypt's king ambassadors they come,
Them many a squire attends, and many a groom.
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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 Virginian by Owen Wister: he might almost as well be bad.
I said their attention wandered, but I forgot the Virginian. At
first his attitude might have been mere propriety. One can look
respectfully at a preacher and be internally breaking all the
commandments. But even with the text I saw real attention light
in the Virginian's eye. And keeping track of the concentration
that grew on him with each minute made the sermon short for me.
He missed nothing. Before the end his gaze at the preacher had
become swerveless. Was he convert or critic? Convert was
incredible. Thus was an hour passed before I had thought of time.
When it was over we took it variously. The preacher was genial
The Virginian |
