| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "you know best the promptings of your own heart. That I
shall need your sword I have little doubt, but accept from
John Carter upon his sacred honour the assurance that he
will never call upon you to draw this sword other than in
the cause of truth, justice, and righteousness."
"That I knew, my Prince," he replied, "ere ever I threw
my beloved blade at thy feet."
As we spoke other fliers came and went between the
ground and the battleship, and presently a larger boat was
launched from above, one capable of carrying a dozen
persons, perhaps, and dropped lightly near us. As she touched,
The Gods of Mars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: world. No other being like himself had ever been created. No
creature of his own size had ever talked with him, in thunder-
like accents, face to face. When he stood with his head among
the clouds, he was quite alone, and had been so for hundreds of
years, and would be so forever. Even if he had met another
Giant, Antaeus would have fancied the world not big enough for
two such vast personages, and, instead of being friends with
him, would have fought him till one of the two was killed. But
with the Pygmies he was the most sportive and humorous, and
merry-hearted, and sweet-tempered old Giant that ever washed
his face in a wet cloud.
Tanglewood Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A treatise on Good Works by Dr. Martin Luther: doubt the favor of God nor question that God is gracious, it will
become quite easy for a man to be gracious and favorable to his
neighbor, however much he may have sinned; for we have sinned
much more against God. Behold, a short Commandment this, but it
presents a long, mighty exercise of good works and of faith.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
In this Commandment too a good work is commanded, which includes
much and drives away much vice; it is called purity, or chastity,
of which much is written and preached, and it is well known to
every one, only that it is not as carefully observed and
practised as other works which are not commanded. So ready are
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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 Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: thrusting out his square-grizzled beard and chin. "Why not, sir?
why should I not make merry when I have the honor of a noble
captain in my house? one who has sailed the seas, sir, and cut
Spaniards' throats; and may cut them again too; eh, sir? Boy,
where's the kettle and the sugar?"
"What on earth is the man at?" quoth Amyas to himself--'flattering
me, or laughing at me?"
"Yes," he ran on, half to himself, in a deliberate tone, evidently
intending to hint more than he said, as he began brewing the sack--
in plain English, hot negus; "Yes, bread and dripping for those who
can't fight Spaniards; but the best that money can buy for those
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