| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Master Key by L. Frank Baum: comrades. The Boers faltered, gave back, and the next moment fled
precipitately, while the exhausted survivors of the courageous band
fell sobbing into the arms of their rescuers.
Rob closed the lid of the Record with a sudden snap that betrayed his
deep feeling, and the king pretended to cough behind his handkerchief
and stealthily wiped his eyes.
"'Twasn't so bad, after all," remarked the boy, with assumed cheerfulness;
"but it looked mighty ticklish for your men at one time."
King Edward regarded the boy curiously, remembering his abrupt
entrance and the marvelous device he had exhibited.
"What do you call that?" he asked, pointing at the Record with a
The Master Key |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: devolve on you of seeing, in the first place, that your horses are
well fed and in condition to stand their work, since a horse which
cannot endure fatigue will clearly be unable to overhaul the foeman or
effect escape;[6] and in the second place, you will have to see to it
the animals are tractable, since, clearly again, a horse that will not
obey is only fighting for the enemy and not his friends. So, again, an
animal that kicks when mounted must be cast; since brutes of that sort
may often do more mischief than the foe himself. Lastly, you must pay
attention to the horses' feet, and see that they will stand being
ridden over rough ground. A horse, one knows, is practically useless
where he cannot be galloped without suffering.
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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 Confessio Amantis by John Gower: As thogh he godd of Erthe were.
With strengthe he putte kinges under,
And wroghte of Pride many a wonder;
He was so full of veine gloire,
That he ne hadde no memoire 2800
That ther was eny good bot he,
For pride of his prosperite;
Til that the hihe king of kinges,
Which seth and knoweth alle thinges,
Whos yhe mai nothing asterte,-
The privetes of mannes herte
Confessio Amantis |
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 The Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: Bland closed her eyes and leaned her head on his breast. Duane
felt her heart beat against his, and conscience smote him a
keen blow. If she loved him so much! But memory and
understanding of her character hardened him again, and he gave
her such commiseration as was due her sex, and no more.
"Boy, that's good of you," she whispered, "but it's too late.
I'm done for. I can't leave Bland. All I ask is that you love
me a little and stop your gun-throwing."
The moon had risen over the eastern bulge of dark mountain, and
now the valley was flooded with mellow light, and shadows of
cottonwoods wavered against the silver.
The Lone Star Ranger |
