| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: insolent and vicious and savage, he began to drawl:
"Wal now, my lady, I reckon your story, if it tallies with
Bonita's an' Padre Marcos's, will clear Gene Stewart in the eyes
of the court." Here he grew slower, more biting, sharper and
harder of face. "But you needn't expect Pat Hawe or the court to
swaller thet part of your story--about bein' detained unwillin'!"
Madeline had not time to grasp the sense of his last words.
Stewart had convulsively sprung upward, white as chalk. As he
leaped at Hawe Stillwell interposed his huge bulk and wrapped his
arms around Stewart. There was a brief, whirling, wrestling
struggle. Stewart appeared to be besting the old cattleman.
The Light of Western Stars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: hitherto been in the habit of calling dialecticians; but God knows whether
the name is right or not. And I should like to know what name you would
give to your or to Lysias' disciples, and whether this may not be that
famous art of rhetoric which Thrasymachus and others teach and practise?
Skilful speakers they are, and impart their skill to any who is willing to
make kings of them and to bring gifts to them.
PHAEDRUS: Yes, they are royal men; but their art is not the same with the
art of those whom you call, and rightly, in my opinion, dialecticians:--
Still we are in the dark about rhetoric.
SOCRATES: What do you mean? The remains of it, if there be anything
remaining which can be brought under rules of art, must be a fine thing;
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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 Bunner Sisters by Edith Wharton: Evelina's disease moved on along the usual course, now lifting
her on a brief wave of elation, now sinking her to new depths of
weakness. There was little to be done, and the doctor came only at
lengthening intervals. On his way out he always repeated his first
friendly suggestion about sending Evelina to the hospital; and Ann
Eliza always answered: "I guess we can manage."
The hours passed for her with the fierce rapidity that great
joy or anguish lends them. She went through the days with a
sternly smiling precision, but she hardly knew what was happening,
and when night-fall released her from the shop, and she could carry
her work to Evelina's bedside, the same sense of unreality
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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 Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum: you know; and I thought he was happy there."
"It seems," said the Tin Woodman, "that our dear Scarecrow cannot be
contented with city life, however beautiful his surroundings might be.
Originally he was a farmer, for he passed his early life in a
cornfield, where he was supposed to frighten away the crows."
"I know," said Dorothy, nodding. "I found him, and lifted him down
from his pole."
"So now, after a long residence in the Emerald City, his tastes have
turned to farm life again," continued the Tin Man. "He feels that he
cannot be happy without a farm of his own, so Ozma gave him some land
and every one helped him build his mansion, and now he is settled
The Emerald City of Oz |
