| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: And she brings newes and euery tongue that speaks
But Romeos name, speakes heauenly eloquence:
Now Nurse, what newes? what hast thou there?
The Cords that Romeo bid thee fetch?
Nur. I, I, the Cords
Iuli. Ay me, what newes?
Why dost thou wring thy hands
Nur. A weladay, hee's dead, hee's dead,
We are vndone Lady, we are vndone.
Alacke the day, hee's gone, hee's kil'd, he's dead
Iul. Can heauen be so enuious?
Romeo and Juliet |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: Tell me the secret of how to perform transformations and I will give
you a pocketful of jewels, the biggest and finest that I possess."
"No," said Kiki, who realized that to share his power with another
would be dangerous to himself.
"I'll give you TWO pocketsful of jewels," said the Nome.
"No," answered Kiki.
"I'll give you every jewel I possess."
"No, no, no!" said Kiki, who was beginning to be frightened.
"Then," said the Nome, with a wicked look at the boy, "I'll tell
the inn-keeper that you stole that gold piece and he will have you
put in prison."
The Magic of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Art of War by Sun Tzu: of gongs and drums. Nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly
enough: hence the institution of banners and flags.
24. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby
the ears and eyes of the host may be focused on one particular
point.
[Chang Yu says: "If sight and hearing converge
simultaneously on the same object, the evolutions of as many as a
million soldiers will be like those of a single man."!]
25. The host thus forming a single united body, is it
impossible either for the brave to advance alone, or for the
cowardly to retreat alone.
The Art of War |
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: last a long time yet."
"I think you are brighter than you used to be, Jack," said the Tin
Woodman. "Your last head was a stupid one."
"The seeds in this one are better," was the reply.
"Are you going to Ozma's party?" asked Dorothy.
"Yes," said he, "I wouldn't miss it for anything. Ozma's my parent,
you know, because she built my body and carved my pumpkin head. I'll
follow you to the Emerald City to-morrow, where we shall meet again.
I can't go to-day, because I have to plant fresh pumpkin-seeds and water
the young vines. But give my love to Ozma, and tell her I'll be there
in time for the jubilation."
The Road to Oz |
