| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Distinguished Provincial at Paris by Honore de Balzac: you belong to a great family, have you a name? You know des Lupeaulx;
his name is very much like yours, for he was born a Chardin; well, he
would not sell his little farm of Lupeaulx for a million, he will be
Comte des Lupeaulx some day, and perhaps his grandson may be a duke.--
You have made a false start; and if you continue in that way, it will
be all over with you. See how much wiser M. Emile Blondet has been! He
is engaged on a Government newspaper; he is well looked on by those in
authority; he can afford to mix with Liberals, for he holds sound
opinions; and soon or later he will succeed. But then he understood
how to choose his opinions and his protectors.
"Your charming neighbor" (Mme. d'Espard glanced at Mme. de Montcornet)
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Critias by Plato: has never been any considerable accumulation of the soil coming down from
the mountains, as in other places, but the earth has fallen away all round
and sunk out of sight. The consequence is, that in comparison of what then
was, there are remaining only the bones of the wasted body, as they may be
called, as in the case of small islands, all the richer and softer parts of
the soil having fallen away, and the mere skeleton of the land being left.
But in the primitive state of the country, its mountains were high hills
covered with soil, and the plains, as they are termed by us, of Phelleus
were full of rich earth, and there was abundance of wood in the mountains.
Of this last the traces still remain, for although some of the mountains
now only afford sustenance to bees, not so very long ago there were still
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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 Cromwell by William Shakespeare: To be revenged on wretched Banister.
What doth fall out, with patience sit and see,
A just requital of false treachery.
[Exit.]
ACT II. SCENE I. Antwerp.
[Cromwell in his study with bags of money before
him casting of account.]
CROMWELL.
Thus far my reckoning doth go straight & even,
But, Cromwell, this same ployding fits not thee:
Thy mind is altogether set on travel,
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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 Market-Place by Harold Frederic: him there, and I'm to look in again for him at 5:30. I'm
going down to his place in the country with him tonight,
to meet his boss--the nobleman I spoke of."
"That's nice," Thorpe commented, slowly. "I envy anybody
who can get into the country these days. But how did
you know I was here?" "The woman in the book-store told
me--I went there the first thing. You might be sure I'd
look you up. Nobody was ever a better friend than you've
been to me, Thorpe. And do you know what I want you
to do? I want you to come right bang out, now, and have
a drink with me."
The Market-Place |
