| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Illustrious Gaudissart by Honore de Balzac: puts the whole question in a nutshell. For instance, what can eat up
more time than the inability to give proper security to persons from
whom you seek to borrow money when, poor at the moment, you are
nevertheless rich in hope?"
"Money,--yes, that's right," said Margaritis.
"Well, Monsieur, I am sent into the departments by a company of
bankers and capitalists, who have apprehended the enormous waste which
rising men of talent are thus making of time, and, consequently, of
intelligence and productive ability. We have seized the idea of
capitalizing for such men their future prospects, and cashing their
talents by discounting--what? TIME; securing the value of it to their
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Betty Zane by Zane Grey: have been impossible to keep him that length of time, unless, of course, he
has married that Indian girl. The simplicity of the Indian nature is
remarkable. He could easily have deceived them and made them believe he was
content in captivity. Probably, in attempting to escape again, he has been
killed as was poor Andrew."
Brother and sister gazed with dark, sad eyes into the fire, now burned down to
a glowing bed of coals. The silence remained unbroken save for the moan of the
rising wind outside, the rattle of hail, and the patter of rain drops on the
roof.
CHAPTER II.
Fort Henry stood on a bluff overlooking the river and commanded a fine view of
Betty Zane |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: see if the poor children were injured by the fall. The scholars followed
after him in a wild mob, and I was left alone in the school-room, still in a
Highly-Magnified state and free to do as I pleased.
"It immediately occurred to me that this was a good opportunity to escape. I
was proud of my great size, and realized that now I could safely travel
anywhere in the world, while my superior culture would make me a fit
associate for the most learned person I might chance to meet.
"So, while the Professor picked the little girls -- who were more frightened
than hurt -- off the ground, and the pupils clustered around him closely
grouped, I calmly walked out of the school-house, turned a corner, and
escaped unnoticed to a grove of trees that stood near"
The Marvelous Land 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 Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: They found the houses of the town all low and square and built of
bricks, neatly whitewashed inside and out. The houses were not set in
rows, forming regular streets, but placed here and there in a haphazard
manner which made it puzzling for a stranger to find his way.
"Stupid people must have streets and numbered houses in their cities,
to guide them where to go," observed the grey donkey, as he walked
before the visitors on his hind legs, in an awkward but comical manner;
"but clever donkeys know their way about without such absurd marks.
Moreover, a mixed city is much prettier than one with straight streets."
Dorothy did not agree with this, but she said nothing to contradict it.
Presently she saw a sign on a house that read: "Madam de Fayke, Hoofist,"
The Road to Oz |
