| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: Valentinois (Diane de Poitiers), Mademoiselle la batarde legitimee
de France (the title of the king's daughter, Diane, who was
Duchesse de Castro-Farnese and afterwards Duchesse de Montmorency-
Damville), Madame la Connetable, and Mademoiselle de Nemours;
without mentioning other demoiselles who were not seated. The four
presidents of the courts of justice, wearing their caps, several
other members of the court, and the clerk du Tillet, mounted the
platform, made reverent bows, and the chief judge, Lizet, kneeling
down, harangued the queen. The chancellor then knelt down and
answered. The queen made her entry at half-past three o'clock in
an open litter, having Madame Marguerite de France sitting
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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 Purse by Honore de Balzac: life. His offer, appealing as it did to the liveliest affections
of the heart, was the only one he could possibly make; it
gratified his pride as an artist, and could not hurt the feelings
of the ladies. Madame Leseigneur accepted, without eagerness or
reluctance, but with the self-possession of a noble soul, fully
aware of the character of bonds formed by such an obligation,
while, at the same time, they are its highest glory as a proof of
esteem.
"I fancy," said the painter, "that the uniform is that of a naval
officer."
Yes," she said, "that of a captain in command of a vessel.
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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 A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: again--I must--I must! Forgive my wretched vacillation. I don't
like it here--nor myself--nor you!'
Stephen looked bewildered, and did not speak.
'Will you allow me to go home?' she implored. 'I won't trouble
you to go with me. I will not be any weight upon you; only say
you will agree to my returning; that you will not hate me for it,
Stephen! It is better that I should return again; indeed it is,
Stephen.'
'But we can't return now,' he said in a deprecatory tone.
'I must! I will!'
'How? When do you want to go?'
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
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 Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: the season.
III - OPERATIONS OF 1809
[Wednesday, 24th May]
The last night was the first that the writer, had passed
in his old quarters on board of the floating light for about
twelve months, when the weather was so fine and the sea so
smooth that even here he felt but little or no motion,
excepting at the turn of the tide, when the vessel gets into
what the seamen term the TROUGH OF THE SEA. At six a.m. Mr.
Watt, who conducted the operations of the railways and beacon-
house, had landed with nine artificers. At half-past one p.m.
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