| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Glasses by Henry James: more with my interpretation of it.
"There IS something, there IS something--possibly something very
grave, certainly something that requires she should make use of
artificial aids. She won't admit it publicly, because with her
idolatry of her beauty, the feeling she is all made up of, she sees
in such aids nothing but the humiliation and the disfigurement.
She has used them in secret, but that is evidently not enough, for
the affection she suffers from, apparently some definite menace,
has lately grown much worse. She looked straight at me in the
shop, which was violently lighted, without seeing it was I. At the
same distance, at Folkestone, where as you know I first met her,
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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 Augsburg Confession by Philip Melanchthon: commanded to abstain from blood and from things strangled,
Acts 15, 29. They refer to the Sabbath-day as having been
changed into the Lord's Day, contrary to the Decalog, as it
seems. Neither is there any example whereof they make more
than concerning the changing of the Sabbath-day. Great, say
they, is the power of the Church, since it has dispensed with
one of the Ten Commandments!
But concerning this question it is taught on our part (as has
been shown above) that bishops have no power to decree
anything against the Gospel. The Canonical Laws teach the same
thing (Dist. IX) . Now, it is against Scripture to establish
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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 Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw: earlier stages, as decidedly a rubbed-in one. The rubbing was no
doubt salutary; but it must have hurt some of the thinner skins.
The charm of the lighter passages fled; and the strong scenes,
though they again carried everything before them, yet discharged
that duty in a grim fashion, doing execution on the enemy rather
than moving them to repentance and confession. Still, to those
who had not seen the first performance, the effect was
sufficiently impressive; and they had the advantage of witnessing
a fresh development in Mrs Warren, who, artistically jealous, as
I took it, of the overwhelming effect of the end of the second
act on the previous day, threw herself into the fourth act in
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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 Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: am told by Monsieur de Clagny, who is promoted to the Court of
Appeal."
"Well, it is quite right," said the journalist. "The entomology of
society ought to be represented in the Upper House."
"My friend, we are parting for ever," said Madame de la Baudraye,
trying to control the trembling of her voice. "I have dismissed the
two servants. When you go in, you will find the house in order, and no
debts. I shall always feel a mother's affection for you, but in
secret. Let us part calmly, without a fuss, like decent people.
"Have you had a fault to find with my conduct during the past six
years?"
The Muse of the Department |
