| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass: pect very unlike the neighboring farms. The num-
ber of houses, too, conspired to give it advantage
over the neighboring farms. It was called by the
slaves the ~Great House Farm.~ Few privileges were
esteemed higher, by the slaves of the out-farms, than
that of being selected to do errands at the Great
House Farm. It was associated in their minds with
greatness. A representative could not be prouder of
his election to a seat in the American Congress,
than a slave on one of the out-farms would be of his
election to do errands at the Great House Farm.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum: him without protest, as they wanted to see the most
important person in this queer country. The houses they
passed seemed pleasant enough and each had a little
yard in which were flowers and vegetables. Walls of
rock separated the dwellings, and all the paths were
paved with smooth slabs of rock. This seemed their only
building material and they utilized it cleverly for
every purpose.
Directly in the center of the great saucer stood a
larger building which the Flathead informed the girls
was the palace of the Supreme Dictator. He led them
Glinda of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: which I give you.
ALCIBIADES: What caution?
SOCRATES: Practise yourself, sweet friend, in learning what you ought to
know, before you enter on politics; and then you will have an antidote
which will keep you out of harm's way.
ALCIBIADES: Good advice, Socrates, but I wish that you would explain to me
in what way I am to take care of myself.
SOCRATES: Have we not made an advance? for we are at any rate tolerably
well agreed as to what we are, and there is no longer any danger, as we
once feared, that we might be taking care not of ourselves, but of
something which is not ourselves.
|
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 Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: Thistle," said the shining Spirit, "what you toiled so faithfully
to win for another, let us offer now as a token of our love for you."
As she ceased, down through the air came floating bands of lovely
Air Spirits, bringing a shining robe, and they too told their love
for the gentle Fairy who had dwelt with them.
Then softly on the breeze came distant music, growing ever nearer,
till over the rippling waves came the singing Water Spirits, in their
boats of many-colored shells; and as they placed their glittering
crown on Thistle's head, loud rang the flowers, and joyously sang
the birds, while all the Forest Fairies cried, with silvery voices,
"Lily-Bell and Thistledown! Long live our King and Queen!"
Flower Fables |
