| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: "Of course," said Nerle. "I hadn't thought of that. We are in the
long hidden Land of Twi, which all men have heard of, but no man has
found before."
"And who may you be?" questioned the prince, looking from one man
to the other, curiously.
"We are Twis," they answered.
"Twice?"
"Twis--inhabitants of Twi."
"It's the same thing," laughed Nerle. "You see everything twice in
this land."
"Are none of your people single?" asked Prince Marvel.
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: so presently he began to pluck up heart. "For," said he to himself,
"maybe Robin Hood hath forgotten all about it."
Then, while beyond in the forest bright fires crackled and savory
smells of sweetly roasting venison and fat capons filled the glade,
and brown pasties warmed beside the blaze, did Robin Hood
entertain the Sheriff right royally. First, several couples
stood forth at quarterstaff, and so shrewd were they at the game,
and so quickly did they give stroke and parry, that the Sheriff,
who loved to watch all lusty sports of the kind, clapped his hands,
forgetting where he was, and crying aloud, "Well struck!
Well struck, thou fellow with the black beard!" little knowing
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Othello by William Shakespeare: Will not go from my mind: I haue much to do,
But to go hang my head all at one side
And sing it like poore Barbarie: prythee dispatch
Aemi. Shall I go fetch your Night-gowne?
Des. No, vn-pin me here,
This Lodouico is a proper man.
Aemil. A very handsome man
Des. He speakes well.
Aemil. I know a Lady in Venice would haue walk'd
barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip
Des. The poore Soule sat singing, by a Sicamour tree.
Othello |
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 Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: with my two hands, wringing his neck as if he had been a chicken. I
wanted Bianca to fly with me; but she would not. That is the way with
women! So I went alone. I was condemned to death, and my property was
confiscated and made over to my next-of-kin; but I had carried off my
diamonds, five of Titian's pictures taken down from their frames and
rolled up, and all my gold.
"I went to Milan, no one molested me, my affair in nowise interested
the State.--One small observation before I go further," he continued,
after a pause, "whether it is true or no that the mother's fancies at
the time of conception or in the months before birth can influence her
child, this much is certain, my mother during her pregnancy had a
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