| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "Is this Rigmarole Town?"
"Sir," replied the boy, "if you have traveled very much you will have
noticed that every town differs from every other town in one way or
another and so by observing the methods of the people and the way they
live as well as the style of their dwelling places it ought not to be
a difficult thing to make up your mind without the trouble of asking
questions whether the town bears the appearance of the one you
intended to visit or whether perhaps having taken a different road
from the one you should have taken you have made an error in your way
and arrived at some point where--"
"Land sakes!" cried Aunt Em, impatiently; "what's all this
The Emerald City of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson: "your servants have told you. The suddenness of the event struck
me with surprise, and I was at first rather stupefied than agitated
with any passion of either fear or sorrow. My confusion was
increased by the speed and tumult of our flight, while we were
followed by the Turks, who, as it seemed, soon despaired to
overtake us, or were afraid of those whom they made a show of
menacing.
"When the Arabs saw themselves out of danger, they slackened their
course; and as I was less harassed by external violence, I began to
feel more uneasiness in my mind. After some time we stopped near a
spring shaded with trees, in a pleasant meadow, where we were set
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