| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: death. Men are not together only when in each other's presence;--the
distant, the departed, also live for us. I shall live for thee, and for myself I
have lived long enough. I have enjoyed each day; each day, I have
performed, with prompt activity, the duties enjoined by my conscience.
Now my life ends, as it might have ended, long, long, ago, on the sands of
Gravelines. I shall cease to live; but I have lived. My friend, follow in my
steps, lead a cheerful and a joyous life, and dread not the approach of
death.
Ferdinand. Thou shouldst have saved thyself for us, thou couldst have
saved thyself. Thou art the cause of thine own destruction. Often have I
listened when able men discoursed concerning thee; foes and friends, they
Egmont |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: was tempted to look about him; but, with the circumspection dictated
by all amorous enterprises, he was careful not to glance, even
furtively, at the walls; for he fully understood that if Cornelius
detected him, he would not allow so inquisitive a person to remain in
his house. He contented himself, therefore, by looking first at the
egg and then at the old woman, occasionally contemplating his future
master.
Louis XI.'s silversmith resembled that monarch. He had even acquired
the same gestures, as often happens where persons dwell together in a
sort of intimacy. The thick eyebrows of the Fleming almost covered his
eyes; but by raising them a little he could flash out a lucid,
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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 Amazing Interlude by Mary Roberts Rinehart: Then Harvey saw her, and the gleam of happiness and relief in his eyes
made her own eyes misty. She saw even in that first glance that he
looked thinner and older. A pang of remorse shot through her. Was
happiness always bought at the cost of happiness? Did one always take
away in order to give? Not in so many words, but in a flash of doubt
the thought went through her mind.
There was no reserve in Harvey's embrace. He put his arms about her and
held her close. He did not speak at first. Then:
"My own little girl," he said. "My own little girl!"
Suddenly Sara Lee was very happy. All her doubts were swept away by his
voice, his arms. There was no thrill for her in his caress, but there
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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 Odyssey by Homer: the house."
When Alcinous heard this he took Ulysses by the hand, raised him
from the hearth, and bade him take the seat of Laodamas, who had
been sitting beside him, and was his favourite son. A maid
servant then brought him water in a beautiful golden ewer and
poured it into a silver basin for him to wash his hands, and she
drew a clean table beside him; an upper servant brought him
bread and offered him many good things of what there was in the
house, and Ulysses ate and drank. Then Alcinous said to one of
the servants, "Pontonous, mix a cup of wine and hand it round
that we may make drink-offerings to Jove the lord of thunder,
The Odyssey |
