| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum: to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City," said Glinda, "for
it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler."
"Am I really wonderful?" asked the Scarecrow.
"You are unusual," replied Glinda.
Turning to the Tin Woodman, she asked, "What will become of
you when Dorothy leaves this country?"
He leaned on his axe and thought a moment. Then he said,
"The Winkies were very kind to me, and wanted me to rule over them
after the Wicked Witch died. I am fond of the Winkies, and if I
could get back again to the Country of the West, I should like
nothing better than to rule over them forever."
The Wizard of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: mysterious affair. If Miss Vere has sustained the slightest
insult or injury from Earnscliff, I will be first to revenge her;
but let us hear what they say."
"You do me wrong by your suspicions, Mareschal," continued Vere;
"you are the last I would have expected to hear express them."
"You injure yourself, Ellieslaw, by your violence, though the
cause may excuse it."
He then advanced a little before the rest, and called out, with a
loud voice,--"Stand, Mr. Earnscliff; or do you and Miss Vere
advance alone to meet us. You are charged with having carried
that lady off from her father's house; and we are here in arms to
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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 Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: to explore those sweet depths; humanity is the highest thing to
investigate, he said, and the proper study of mankind is woman.
Woman needs to be studied while under the influence of emotion;
let us therefore have the emotions. This was the reason he gave
to himself; but this refined Mormonism of the heart was not
based on reason, but on temperament and habit. In such matters
logic is only for the by-standers.
His very generosity harmed him, as all our good qualities may
harm us when linked with bad ones; he had so many excuses for
doing kindnesses to his friends, it was hard to quarrel with
him if he did them too tenderly. He was no more capable of
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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 Cratylus by Plato: (hurtful).
HERMOGENES: Good.
SOCRATES: The word blaberon is that which is said to hinder or harm
(blaptein) the stream (roun); blapton is boulomenon aptein (seeking to hold
or bind); for aptein is the same as dein, and dein is always a term of
censure; boulomenon aptein roun (wanting to bind the stream) would properly
be boulapteroun, and this, as I imagine, is improved into blaberon.
HERMOGENES: You bring out curious results, Socrates, in the use of names;
and when I hear the word boulapteroun I cannot help imagining that you are
making your mouth into a flute, and puffing away at some prelude to Athene.
SOCRATES: That is the fault of the makers of the name, Hermogenes; not
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