| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: to have a quiet old age in shelter, and bread for your old
belly, and a bed to lay your crazy bones upon, with a clear
conscience?'
'Sir,' said Mr. Archer, with an inclination of his head, 'you
portray a very brave existence.'
'Well,' continued Jonathan, 'and in the end thieves deceive
you, thieves rob and rook you, thieves turn you out in your
old age and send you begging. What have you got for all your
honesty? A fine return! You that might have stole scores of
pounds, there you are out in the rain with your rheumatics!'
Mr. Archer had forgotten to eat; with his hand upon his chin
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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 Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: breathin' easy was the finest thing in life. When a person's well, he
don't realize how jolly it is, but when he gets sick he 'members the
time he was well, an' wishes that time would come back. Most folks
forget to thank God for givin' 'em two good legs, till they lose one o'
'em, like I did; and then it's too late, 'cept to praise God for
leavin' one."
"Your wooden leg ain't so bad, Cap'n," she remarked, looking at it
critically. "Anyhow, it don't take root on a Magic Island, like our
meat legs do."
"I ain't complainin'," said Cap'n Bill. "What's that swimmin'
towards us, Trot?" he added, looking over the Magic Flower and across
The Magic of Oz |
| 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: interest, their familiar faces.
Time was to come, too, when she came back, not to the little house, it
is true, but to her friends, to Anna and the others. But they had not
grown and Sara Lee had. And that is the story.
Uncle James died the next day. One moment he was there, an uneasy
figure, under the tulip quilt, and the next he had gone away entirely,
leaving a terrible quiet behind him. He had been the center of the
little house, a big and cheery and not over-orderly center. Followed
his going not only quiet, but a wretched tidiness. There was nothing
for Sara Lee to do but to think.
And, in the way of mourning women, things that Uncle James had said
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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 Duchesse de Langeais by Honore de Balzac: evening she was introduced into Armand's apartment. It was not
the room in which that secret scene had passed; it was entirely
different. The Duchess was told that the General would not be at
home that night. Had he two houses? The man would give no
answer. Mme de Langeais had bought the key of the room, but not
the man's whole loyalty.
When she was left alone she saw her fourteen letters lying on an
old-fashioned stand, all of them uncreased and unopened. He had
not read them. She sank into an easy-chair, and for a while she
lost consciousness. When she came to herself, Auguste was
holding vinegar for her to inhale.
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