| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Juana by Honore de Balzac: gentle voice still trembling with the pleasure that Juan's answer had
brought her, a lesson upon honor, simplified to his childish
intelligence.
"That boy's character requires care," said Diard.
"Yes," she replied simply.
"How about Juan?"
Madame Diard, struck by the tone in which the words were uttered,
looked at her husband.
"Juan was born perfect," he added.
Then he sat down gloomily, and reflected. Presently, as his wife
continued silent, he added:--
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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 Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum: of his face was very interesting, if somewhat comical.
The Scarecrow was good all through, even to his brains,
and while he was naturally awkward in his movements and
lacked the neat symmetry of other people, his disposition
was so kind and considerate and he was so obliging and
honest, that all who knew him loved him, and there were
few people in Oz who had not met our Scarecrow and made
his acquaintance. He lived part of the time in Ozma's
palace at the Emerald City, part of the time in his own
corncob castle in the Winkie Country, and part of the
time he traveled over all Oz, visiting with the people
The Scarecrow of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from King James Bible: one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of their's,
and speak thou good.
CH2 18:13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith,
that will I speak.
CH2 18:14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him,
Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And
he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your
hand.
CH2 18:15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee
that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
CH2 18:16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the
King James Bible |
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 Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: miserable as to be left entirety destitute of all comfort and
company as I now was. This forced tears to my eyes again; but as
there was little relief in that, I resolved, if possible, to get to
the ship; so I pulled off my clothes - for the weather was hot to
extremity - and took the water. But when I came to the ship my
difficulty was still greater to know how to get on board; for, as
she lay aground, and high out of the water, there was nothing
within my reach to lay hold of. I swam round her twice, and the
second time I spied a small piece of rope, which I wondered I did
not see at first, hung down by the fore-chains so low, as that with
great difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that rope I
Robinson Crusoe |
