| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum: to the hope that Ozma would be kind enough to grant her request.
When, indeed, had her powerful and faithful friend refused her anything?
"But you must not call me 'Princess'," she said; "for after this I
shall live on the little farm with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, and
princesses ought not to live on farms."
"Princess Dorothy will not," replied Ozma with her sweet smile.
"You are going to live in your own rooms in this palace, and be
my constant companion."
"But Uncle Henry--" began Dorothy.
"Oh, he is old, and has worked enough in his lifetime," interrupted
the girl Ruler; "so we must find a place for your uncle and aunt where
The Emerald City of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Sportsman by Xenophon: had taught the youngest--to wit, the boy Achilles.[6]
[1] Or, "This thing is the invention of no mortal man, but of Apollo
and Artemis, to whom belong hunting and dogs." For the style of
exordium L. Dind. cf (Ps.) Dion. "Art. rhet." ad in.; Galen,
"Isagog." ad in.; Alex. Aphrodis. "Probl." 2 proem.
[2] The wisest and "justest of all the centaurs," Hom. "Il." xi. 831.
See Kingsley, "The Heroes," p. 84.
[3] Or, "the discipline of the hunting field and other noble lore."
[4] Lit. "since that is nature, but the praise of them grew greatly."
[5] According to others, Philyra. Pind. "Pyth." iii. 1, {ethelon
Kheirona ke Philuridan}; cf. "Pyth." vi. 22; "Nem." iii. 43.
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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 Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: Twice or thrice they spoke together, and I could make out that Neil
(for all his obsequiousness) was an angry man.
Then she turned to me. "He swears it is not," she said.
"Catriona," said I, "do you believe the man yourself?"
She made a gesture like wringing the hands.
"How will I can know?" she cried.
But I must find some means to know," said I. "I cannot continue to go
dovering round in the black night with two men's lives at my girdle!
Catriona, try to put yourself in my place, as I vow to God I try hard
to put myself in yours. This is no kind of talk that should ever have
fallen between me and you; no kind of talk; my heart is sick with it.
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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 Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare: Cheeks neither red nor pale, but mingled so
That blushing red no guilty instance gave,
Nor ashy pale the fear that false hearts have.
But, like a constant and confirmed devil,
He entertain'd a show so seeming just,
And therein so ensconc'd his secret evil,
That jealousy itself cold not mistrust
False-creeping craft and perjury should thrust
Into so bright a day such black-fac'd storms,
Or blot with hell-born sin such saint-like forms.
The well-skill'd workman this mild image drew
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