| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: they were tolling, not to produce another boat on their own pattern
in which they had always enjoyed the advantage, but to make a new
one the type of their enemies', of which they had now proved the
uselessness for months. It came on to rain as the Americans
landed; and though none offered to oppose their coming ashore, none
invited them to take shelter. They were nowise abashed, entered a
house unbidden, and were made welcome with obvious reserve. The
rain clearing off, they set forth westward, deeper into the heart
of the enemies' position. Three or four young men ran some way
before them, doubtless to give warning; and Leary, with his
indomitable taste for mischief, kept inquiring as he went after
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Another Study of Woman by Honore de Balzac: epigram is not mine, but Napoleon's," he added.
"You need not owe Napoleon any grudge on that score," said Canalis,
with an emphatic tone and gesture. "It was one of his weaknesses to be
jealous of literary genius--for he had his mean points. Who will ever
explain, depict, or understand Napoleon? A man represented with his
arms folded, and who did everything, who was the greatest force ever
known, the most concentrated, the most mordant, the most acid of all
forces; a singular genius who carried armed civilization in every
direction without fixing it anywhere; a man who could do everything
because he willed everything; a prodigious phenomenon of will,
conquering an illness by a battle, and yet doomed to die of disease in
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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 Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: in a tone of triumph, "He never makes a mistake!"
CHAPTER 25
OZMA OF OZ
"It's funny," said Toto, standing before his friend the Lion and
wagging his tail, "but I've found my growl at last! I am positive now
that it was the cruel magician who stole it."
"Let's hear your growl," requested the Lion.
"G-r-r-r-r-r!" said Toto.
"That is fine," declared the big beast. "It isn't as loud or as deep
as the growl of the big Lavender Bear, but it is a very respectable
growl for a small dog. Where did you find it, Toto?"
The Lost Princess 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 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: "Tryin' to give us the slip, was ye, you pup!
Tired of our company, hey?"
I says:
"No, your majesty, we warn't -- PLEASE don't, your
majesty!"
"Quick, then, and tell us what WAS your idea, or
I'll shake the insides out o' you!"
"Honest, I'll tell you everything just as it hap-
pened, your majesty. The man that had a-holt of me
was very good to me, and kept saying he had a boy
about as big as me that died last year, and he was
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn |
