| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum: was glad enough to go where new sights and scenes awaited her.
They began the trip across the desert early in the morning, and as
they stopped only long enough for Billina to lay her daily egg, before
sunset they espied the green slopes and wooded hills of the beautiful
Land of Oz. They entered it in the Munchkin territory, and the King
of the Munchkins met them at the border and welcomed Ozma with great
respect, being very pleased by her safe return. For Ozma of Oz ruled
the King of the Munchkins, the King of the Winkies, the King of the
Quadlings and the King of the Gillikins just as those kings ruled
their own people; and this supreme ruler of the Land of Oz lived in a
great town of her own, called the Emerald City, which was in the exact
Ozma of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Three Taverns by Edwin Arlington Robinson: Well, you have had enough, and had it young;
And the old wine is nearer to the lees
Than you are to the work that you are doing.
HAMILTON
When does this philological excursion
Into new lands and languages begin?
BURR
Anon -- that is, already. Only Fortune
Gave me this afternoon the benefaction
Of your blue back, which I for love pursued,
And in pursuing may have saved your life --
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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 Philebus by Plato: placed in the class of good, and that which is done for the sake of
something else, in some other class, my good friend.
PROTARCHUS: Most certainly.
SOCRATES: Then pleasure, being a generation, will be rightly placed in
some other class than that of good?
PROTARCHUS: Quite right.
SOCRATES: Then, as I said at first, we ought to be very grateful to him
who first pointed out that pleasure was a generation only, and had no true
being at all; for he is clearly one who laughs at the notion of pleasure
being a good.
PROTARCHUS: Assuredly.
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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 $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories by Mark Twain: to have battled against a man who was armed with deadly weapons;
and besides, he could not resist the request of such a pure heart.
Ambulinia concealed herself in the upper story of the house, fearing
the rebuke of her father; the door was locked, and no chastisement
was now expected. Esquire Valeer, whose pride was already touched,
resolved to preserve the dignity of his family. He entered the house
almost exhausted, looking wildly for Ambulinia. "Amazed and astonished
indeed I am," said he, "at a people who call themselves civilized,
to allow such behavior as this. Ambulinia, Ambulinia!" he cried,
"come to the calls of your first, your best, and your only friend.
I appeal to you, sir," turning to the gentleman of the house,
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