| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Summer by Edith Wharton: "Yes. He draws pictures of things. He's down there
now drawing the Bonner house." She pointed to a chimney
just visible over the dip of the pasture below the
wood.
"The Bonner house?" Liff echoed incredulously.
"Yes. You won't understand--and it don't matter. All
I say is: he's going to the Hyatts' in a day or two."
Liff looked more and more perplexed. "Bash is ugly
sometimes in the afternoons."
She threw her head back, her eyes full on Hyatt's. "I'm
coming too: you tell him."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Prince of Bohemia by Honore de Balzac: " 'Well, well, my dear little puss; there, there, never mind. We can
manage to get on together,' said du Bruel, and he kissed her hands,
and we came away. But he was very wroth.
"The whole way from the Rue de la Victoire to the boulevard a perfect
torrent of venomous words poured from his mouth like a waterfall in
flood; but as the shocking language which he used on occasion was
quite unfit to print, the report is necessarily inadequate.
" 'My dear fellow, I will leave that vile, shameless opera dancer, a
worn-out jade that has been set spinning like a top to every operatic
air; a foul hussy, an organ-grinder's monkey! Oh, my dear boy, you
have taken up with an actress; may the notion of marrying your
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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 Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum: one at all."
The Wheeler burst into a flood of tears, to Dorothy's great surprise.
"Now I and my people are ruined forever!" he sobbed; "for you have
discovered our secret. Being so helpless, our only hope is to make
people afraid of us, by pretending we are very fierce and terrible,
and writing in the sand warnings to Beware the Wheelers. Until now we
have frightened everyone, but since you have discovered our weakness
our enemies will fall upon us and make us very miserable and unhappy."
"Oh, no," exclaimed Dorothy, who was sorry to see this beautifully
dressed Wheeler so miserable; "Tiktok will keep your secret, and so
will Billina and I. Only, you must promise not to try to frighten
Ozma of Oz |
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 Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: this meeting is to me. In the hour of my adversity, and here in the
house of my enemy, to meet in with the blood of an old brother-in-arms
- it heartens me, Mr. Balfour, like the skirting of the highland pipes!
Sir, this is a sad look back that many of us have to make: some with
falling tears. I have lived in my own country like a king; my sword,
my mountains, and the faith of my friends and kinsmen sufficed for me.
Now I lie in a stinking dungeon; and do you know, Mr. Balfour," he went
on, taking my arm and beginning to lead me about, "do you know, sir,
that I lack mere neCESSaries? The malice of my foes has quite
sequestered my resources. I lie, as you know, sir, on a trumped-up
charge, of which I am as innocent as yourself. They dare not bring me
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