| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Jolly Corner by Henry James: solemn, measured, directed, as he felt it to be. He brought it to
a close, he turned away; and now verily he knew how deeply he had
been stirred. He retraced his steps, taking up his candle, burnt,
he observed, well-nigh to the socket, and marking again, lighten it
as he would, the distinctness of his footfall; after which, in a
moment, he knew himself at the other side of the house. He did
here what he had not yet done at these hours - he opened half a
casement, one of those in the front, and let in the air of the
night; a thing he would have taken at any time previous for a sharp
rupture of his spell. His spell was broken now, and it didn't
matter - broken by his concession and his surrender, which made it
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Where There's A Will by Mary Roberts Rinehart: He had the same look of wretchedness he'd had the first night I
saw him--a hungry look--and I couldn't help it; I went over to
him and patted him on the head like a little boy. I was only the
spring-house girl, but I was older than he was, and he needed
somebody to comfort him.
"I can't think of anything to say that will help any," I said,
"unless it's what you wrote yourself on the blackboard down in
the hall, `Keep busy and you'll keep happy.'"
He reached up for my hand, and rough and red as it was--having
been in the spring for so many years--he kissed it.
"Good for you, Minnie!" he said. "You're rational, and for a day
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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 The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: things past and things to come, and singing now and then with
clear voices from which the veil of age and sorrow was lifted.
John Weightman joined in some of the songs--which were familiar
to him
from their use in the church--at first with a touch of
hesitation,
and then more confidently. For as they went on his sense of
strangeness and fear at his new experience diminished, and his
thoughts
began to take on their habitual assurance and complacency. Were
not these
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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 Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: getting on. S'pose she's a pris'ner in a dungeon cell! Do you want
to keep our dear Ozma there any longer than we can help?"
"If she's in a dungeon cell, how are you going to get her out?"
inquired the boy.
"Never you mind. We'll leave that to the Wizard. He's sure to find a
way."
The Wizard said nothing, for he realized that without his magic tools
he could do no more than any other person. But there was no use
reminding his companions of that fact; it might discourage them. "The
important thing just now," he remarked, "is to find Ozma, and as our
party is again happily reunited, I propose we move on."
The Lost Princess of Oz |
