| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Unconscious Comedians by Honore de Balzac: her bronchial tubes.
"The rose."
"What color are you fond of?"
"Blue."
"What animal do you prefer?"
"The horse. Why these questions?" he asked.
"Man derives his form from his anterior states," she said
sententiously. "Hence his instincts; and his instincts rule his
destiny. What food do you like best to eat,--fish, game, cereals,
butcher's meat, sweet things, vegetables, or fruits?"
"Game."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: again. Now, the space around the house being quite open and bare of
cover, it was obvious that it could not be stormed without further heavy
losses. In order to avoid such losses a civilised people would have
advanced by means of trenches, but of these the Quabies knew nothing;
moreover, digging tools were lacking to them.
So it came about that they hit upon another, and in the circumstances a
not inefficient expedient. The cattle kraal was built of rough,
unmortared stones. Those stones they took, each man carrying two or
three, which, rushing forward, they piled up into scattered rough
defences of about eighteen inches or two feet high. These defences were
instantly occupied by as many warriors as could take shelter behind
Marie |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from La Grande Breteche by Honore de Balzac: the honor, monsieur, to beg that you will go into the garden no more.
I myself, monsieur, since the will was read, have never set foot in
the house, which, as I had the honor of informing you, is part of the
estate of the late Madame de Merret. We have done nothing there but
verify the number of doors and windows to assess the taxes I have to
pay annually out of the funds left for that purpose by the late Madame
de Merret. Ah! my dear sir, her will made a great commotion in the
town.'
"The good man paused to blow his nose. I respected his volubility,
perfectly understanding that the administration of Madame de Merret's
estate had been the most important event of his life, his reputation,
La Grande Breteche |
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 Deputy of Arcis by Honore de Balzac: coolness, the embracing glance which constitute the hired /bravi/ of
thought and statesmanship. Such instruments are both rare and
necessary.
As a matter of calculation, de Marsay maintained Comte Maxime de
Trailles in the highest society; he described him as a man ripened by
passions, taught by experience, who knew men and things, to whom
travel and a certain faculty for observation had imparted an
understanding of European interests, of foreign cabinets, and of all
the ramifications of the great continental families. De Marsay
convinced Maxime of the necessity of doing himself credit; he taught
him discretion, less as a virtue than a speculation; he proved to him
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