| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard: us out. Also he knew that we possessed a different system of
religion, and no doubt was in daily terror of our attempting
to introduce it into Zu-Vendis. One day he asked me if we had
any religion in our country, and I told him that so far as I
could remember we had ninety-five different ones. You might
have knocked him down with a feather, and really it is difficult
not to pity a high priest of a well-established cult who is haunted
by the possible approach of one or all of ninety-five new religions.
When we knew that Agon was caught, Nyleptha, Sir Henry, and I
discussed what was to be done with him. I was for closely incarcerating
him, but Nyleptha shook her head, saying that it would produce
Allan Quatermain |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Complete Poems of Longfellow by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: market,
Met he that meek, pale face, returning home from its watchings.
Then it came to pass that a pestilence fell on the city,
Presaged by wondrous signs, and mostly by flocks of wild pigeons,
Darkening the sun in their flight, with naught in their craws but
an acorn.
And, as the tides of the sea arise in the month of September,
Flooding some silver stream, till it spreads to a lake in the
meadow,
So death flooded life, and, o'erflowing its natural margin,
Spread to a brackish lake, the silver stream of existence.
|
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: For a whole month she had so wrought on his senses, that at last
she had made an impression on his heart. If in the earliest days
the student had fancied himself to be master, Mme. de Nucingen
had since become the stronger of the two, for she had skilfully
roused and played upon every instinct, good or bad, in the two or
three men comprised in a young student in Paris. This was not the
result of deep design on her part, nor was she playing a part,
for women are in a manner true to themselves even through their
grossest deceit, because their actions are prompted by a natural
impulse. It may have been that Delphine, who had allowed this
young man to gain such an ascendency over her, conscious that she
Father Goriot |
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: VERY much worried; that is, if I don't stay away too long."
"That's right," declared the Fox-King, nodding approval. "Be
contented with your lot, whatever it happens to be, if you are wise.
Which reminds me that you have a new companion on this adventure--he
looks very clever and bright."
"He is," said Dorothy; and the shaggy man added:
"That's his name, your Royal Foxiness--Button-Bright."
4. King Dox
It was amusing to note the expression on the face of King Dox as he
looked the boy over, from his sailor hat to his stubby shoes, and it
was equally diverting to watch Button-Bright stare at the King in
The Road to Oz |
