| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum: dangerous war cannot be a pleasant one."
"I see very clearly," remarked the Scarecrow,
"that you are going to have trouble in conquering
those Horners--unless we help you."
"Oh!" cried the Hoppers in a chorus; "can
you help us? Please do! We will be greatly
obliged! It would please us very much!" and by
these exclamations the Scarecrow knew that his
speech had met with favor.
"How far is it to the Horner Country?" he asked.
"Why, it's just the other side of the fence,"
 The Patchwork Girl of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: strange girl took Monsieur de Grancey by the arm, and led him to a
seat under a clump of rhododendrons, whence there was a view of the
lake.
"Listen, dear Abbe," said she. "You whom I love as much as my father,
for you had an affection for my Albert, I must at last confess that I
committed crimes to become his wife, and he must be my husband.--Here;
read this."
She held out to him a number of the /Gazette/ which she had in her
apron pocket, pointing out the following paragraph under the date of
Florence, May 25th:--
"The wedding of Monsieur le Duc de Rhetore, eldest son of the Duc
 Albert Savarus |