| 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: little uneasy at losing the path, because now there was nothing to
guide them.
No houses were to be seen at all, so they could not ask their way of
any farmer; and although the Land of Oz was always beautiful, wherever
one might go, this part of the country was strange to all the party.
"Perhaps we're lost," suggested Aunt Em, after they had proceeded quite
a way in silence.
"Never mind," said the Shaggy Man; "I've been lost many a time--and
so has Dorothy--and we've always been found again."
"But we may get hungry," remarked Omby Amby. "That is the worst of
getting lost in a place where there are no houses near."
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 The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories by Mark Twain: first the Present Tense in Mediterranean blue and old gold, then the
Past Definite in scarlet and black, then the Imperfect in green
and yellow, then the Indicative Future in the stars and stripes,
then the Old Red Sandstone Subjunctive in purple and silver--
and so on and so on, fifty-seven privates and twenty commissioned
and non-commissioned officers; certainly one of the most fiery and
dazzling and eloquent sights I have ever beheld. I could not keep back
the tears. Presently:
"Halt!" commanded the Brigadier.
"Front--face!"
"Right dress!"
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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 Coxon Fund by Henry James: human race. The individual, in a word, who, having the rest of the
machinery, the spiritual, the intellectual, is most hampered in his
search."
"His search for what?"
"For Moral Truth. That's what Sir Gregory calls it."
I burst out laughing. "Delightful munificent Sir Gregory! It's a
charming idea."
"So Miss Anvoy thinks."
"Has she a candidate for the Fund?"
"Not that I know of--and she's perfectly reasonable about it. But
Lady Coxon has put the matter before her, and we've naturally had 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 Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: baby. But if you find any amusement in it, be indignant, flare
up! Say that I am a scoundrel, a rascal, a rogue, a bandit; but
do not call me a blackleg nor a spy! There, out with it, fire
away! I forgive you; it is quite natural at your age. I was like
that myself once. Only remember this, you will do worse things
yourself some day. You will flirt with some pretty woman and take
her money. You have thought of that, of course," said Vautrin,
"for how are you to succeed unless love is laid under
contribution? There are no two ways about virtue, my dear
student; it either is, or it is not. Talk of doing penance for
your sins! It is a nice system of business, when you pay for your
Father Goriot |
