| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "Yes," answered the Tin Woodman; "but our friend's clothes are useless
without stuffing."
"Why not stuff him with money?" asked Tip.
"Money!" they all cried, in an amazed chorus.
"To be sure," said the boy. "In the bottom of the nest are thousands of
dollar bills -- and two-dollar bills -- and five-dollar bills -- and tens,
and twenties, and fifties. There are enough of them to stuff a dozen
Scarecrows. Why not use the money?"
The Tin Woodman began to turn over the rubbish with the handle of his axe;
and, sure enough, what they had first thought only worthless papers were
found to be all bills of various denominations,
The Marvelous Land of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: need to read and learn, but can finish learning in one hour what God
Himself cannot finish teaching, although He is engaged in teaching it
from the beginning to the end of the world, and all prophets, together
with all saints, have been occupied with learning it and have ever
remained pupils, and must continue to be such ?
For it needs must be that whoever knows the Ten Commandments perfectly
must know all the Scriptures, so that, in all affairs and cases, he can
advise, help, comfort, judge, and decide both spiritual and temporal
matters and is qualified to sit in judgment upon all doctrines,
estates, spirits, laws, and whatever else is in the world. And what,
indeed, is the entire Psalter but thoughts and exercises upon the First
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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 My Aunt Margaret's Mirror by Walter Scott: him, once more earnestly repeating by signs his injunctions of
silence. The Italian then, extending his bare arm from under his
linen vestment, pointed with his forefinger to five large
flambeaux, or torches, placed on each side of the altar. They
took fire successively at the approach of his hand, or rather of
his finger, and spread a strong light through the room. By this
the visitors could discern that, on the seeming altar, were
disposed two naked swords laid crosswise; a large open book,
which they conceived to be a copy of the Holy Scriptures, but in
a language to them unknown; and beside this mysterious volume was
placed a human skull. But what struck the sisters most was a
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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 Historical Lecturers and Essays by Charles Kingsley: it--"how grand to have died beneath that standard on that day!"
Yes, and how right. And yet how right, likewise, that the Norman's
cry of DEXAIE!--"God Help!"--and not the English hurrah, should have
won that day, till William rode up Mountjoye in the afternoon to see
the English army, terrible even in defeat, struggling through copse
and marsh away toward Brede, and, like retreating lions driven into
their native woods, slaying more in the pursuit than they slew even
in the fight.
But so it was to be; for so it ought to have been. You, my American
friends, delight, as I have said already, in seeing the old places
of the old country. Go, I beg you, and look at that old place, and
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