| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: Both him and thee, and all the heavenly host
Of Spirits that, in our just pretences armed,
Fell with us from on high. From them I go
This uncouth errand sole, and one for all
Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread
Th' unfounded Deep, and through the void immense
To search, with wandering quest, a place foretold
Should be--and, by concurring signs, ere now
Created vast and round--a place of bliss
In the purlieus of Heaven; and therein placed
A race of upstart creatures, to supply
Paradise Lost |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde: take from him his gold, for we have need of it.'
And the young Fisherman rose up and crept towards the room of the
merchant, and over the feet of the merchant there was lying a
curved sword, and the tray by the side of the merchant held nine
purses of gold. And he reached out his hand and touched the sword,
and when he touched it the merchant started and awoke, and leaping
up seized himself the sword and cried to the young Fisherman, 'Dost
thou return evil for good, and pay with the shedding of blood for
the kindness that I have shown thee?'
And his Soul said to the young Fisherman, 'Strike him,' and he
struck him so that he swooned and he seized then the nine purses of
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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 The Altar of the Dead by Henry James: given a slight push. Then turning round on him with her pale
gaiety recovered, "I've forgiven him!" she declared.
"I know what you've done," said Stransom "I know what you've done
for years." For a moment they looked at each other through it all
with their long community of service in their eyes. This short
passage made, to his sense, for the woman before him, an immense,
an absolutely naked confession; which was presently, suddenly
blushing red and changing her place again, what she appeared to
learn he perceived in it. He got up and "How you must have loved
him!" he cried.
"Women aren't like men. They can love even where they've
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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 Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum: -- or to anyone else."
"Let us not speak of this now, please," answered
Ozma. "Your island is in danger, for a powerful foe is
preparing to destroy it."
"Pah! The Flatheads. I do not fear them."
"Their Supreme Dictator is a Sorcerer."
"My magic is greater than his. Let the Flatheads
come! They will never return to their barren mountain-
top. I will see to that."
Ozma did not like this attitude, for it meant that
the Skeezers were eager to fight the Flatheads, and
Glinda of Oz |
