| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: not make me linger, dear Monsieur d'Artagnan; our money is
lost, is it not?"
Before he answered, D'Artagnan took his time, and that
appeared an age to the poor grocer. Nevertheless he did
nothing but turn about on his chair.
"And if that were the case," said he, slowly, moving his
head up and down, "if that were the case, what would you
say, my dear friend?"
Planchet, from being pale, turned yellow. It might have been
thought he was going to swallow his tongue, so full became
his throat, so red were his eyes!
Ten Years Later |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: benefit our friends most largely, and beyond all else, to triumph over
our foes--here, again, matters are not as you suppose.
How, for instance, can you hope to benefit your friends, when you may
rest assured the very friend whom you have made most your debtor will
be the happiest to quit your sight as fast as may be? since nobody
believes that anything a tyrant gives him is indeed his own, until he
is well beyond the donor's jurisdiction.
So much for friends, and as to enemies conversely. How can you say
"most power of triumphing over our enemies," when every tyrant knows
full well they are all his enemies, every man of them, who are
despotically ruled by him? And to put the whole of them to death or to
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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 Virginian by Owen Wister: to Globe, Arizona?" And Scipio talked away about the mines he had
known. There was no getting at Shorty any more that evening.
Trampas was foiled of his fish, or of learning how the fish's
heart lay. And by morning Shorty had been carefully instructed to
change his mind about once an hour. This is apt to discourage all
but very superior missionaries. And I too escaped for the rest of
this night. At Glendive we had a dim supper, and I bought some
blankets; and after that it was late, and sleep occupied the
attention of us all.
We lay along the shelves of the caboose, a peaceful sight I
should think, in that smoothly trundling cradle. I slept almost
The Virginian |
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 De Profundis by Oscar Wilde: exceed their amusement. That was, of course, before they knew who
I was. As soon as they had been informed they laughed still more.
For half an hour I stood there in the grey November rain surrounded
by a jeering mob.
For a year after that was done to me I wept every day at the same
hour and for the same space of time. That is not such a tragic
thing as possibly it sounds to you. To those who are in prison
tears are a part of every day's experience. A day in prison on
which one does not weep is a day on which one's heart is hard, not
a day on which one's heart is happy.
Well, now I am really beginning to feel more regret for the people
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