The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: numbering them?' and they shall find present what they have done;
and thy Lord will not wrong any one.
And when we said to the angels, Adore Adam,' they adored him, save
only Iblis, who was of the ginn, who revolted from the bidding of
his Lord. 'What! will ye then take him and his seed as patrons, rather
than me, when they are foes of yours? bad for the wrong-doers is the
exchange,'
I did not make them witnesses of the creation of the heavens and the
earth, nor of the creation of themselves, nor did I take those who
lead astray for my supporters.
On the day when He shall say, 'Call ye my partners whom ye pretend:'
 The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Market-Place by Harold Frederic: were no doubt of it--and I imagined that quite probably
you would be glad to talk with me about it."
"Quite right," said Thorpe. "So I should."
This comprehensive assurance seemed not, however,
to facilitate conversation. The nobleman looked at
the pattern of the sock on the ankle he was nursing,
and knitted his brows in perplexity. "What if the Committee
of the Stock Exchange decide to interfere?" he asked at last.
"Oh, that would knock me sky-high," Thorpe admitted.
"Approximately, how much may one take 'sky-high' to mean?"
Thorpe appeared to calculate. "Almost anything up
 The Market-Place |
The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum: who are in good health are well bred. If you are no longer hungry we
will call upon a few of the most important citizens."
Toto and Billina followed behind them, behaving very well, and a
little way down the street they came to a handsome residence where
Aunt Sally Lunn lived. The old lady was glad to meet the little girl
and gave her a slice of white bread and butter which had been used as
a door-mat. It was almost fresh and tasted better than anything
Dorothy had eaten in the town.
"Where do you get the butter?" she inquired.
"We dig it out of the ground, which, as you may have observed, is all
flour and meal," replied Mr. Bunn. "There is a butter mine just at
 The Emerald City 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 Enoch Arden, &c. by Alfred Tennyson: In sailor fashion roughly sermonizing
On providence and trust in Heaven, she heard,
Heard and not heard him; as the village girl,
Who sets her pitcher underneath the spring,
Musing on him that used to fill it for her,
Hears and not hears, and lets it overflow.
At length she spoke `O Enoch, you are wise;
And yet for all your wisdom well know I
That I shall look upon your face no more.'
`Well then,' said Enoch, `I shall look on yours.
Annie, the ship I sail in passes here
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