| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs: perilously close to us, so we hastened to draw as close
as possible to the cliffside, where we were compara-
tively safe from the missiles.
Here we held a brief conference, in which it was
decided that our only hope now lay in making for the
opposite end of the island as quickly as we could,
and utilizing the boat that I had hidden there, to con-
tinue our journey to the mainland.
Gathering up three of the least damaged javelins
that had fallen about us, we set out upon our journey,
keeping well toward the south side of the island, which
Pellucidar |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: the cherub countenance which seemed desirous to hide itself in
his hand. The robust form, the broad, noble brow and majestic
looks, the naked arm and shoulder, the lions' skins among which
he lay, and the fair, fragile feminine creature that kneeled by
his side, might have served for a model of Hercules reconciling
himself, after a quarrel, to his wife Dejanira.
"And, once more, what seeks the lady of my heart in her knight's
pavilion at this early and unwonted hour?"
"Pardon, my most gracious liege--pardon!" said the Queen, whose
fears began again to unfit her for the duty of intercessor.
"Pardon--for what?" asked the King.
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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 King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: GLOSTER.
The widow likes him not, she knits her brows.
CLARENCE.
He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.
KING EDWARD.
[Aside.] Her looks doth argue her replete with
modesty,
Her words doth show her wit incomparable,
All her perfections challenge sovereignty;
One way or other she is for a king,
And she shall be my love, or else my queen.--
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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 Master Key by L. Frank Baum: "The busy lives of men," proceeded the Demon, "require them to move
about and travel in all directions. Yet to assist them there are only
such crude and awkward machines as electric trolleys, cable cars,
steam railways and automobiles. These crawl slowly over the uneven
surface of the earth and frequently get out of order. It has grieved
me that men have not yet discovered what even birds know: that the
atmosphere offers them swift and easy means of traveling from one part
of the earth's surface to another."
"Some people have tried to build airships," remarked Rob.
"So they have; great, unwieldy machines which offer so much resistance
to the air that they are quite useless. A big machine is not needed
The Master Key |
