| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: broken, but it has not been succeeded by the majesty of the laws;
the people has learned to despise all authority, but fear now
extorts a larger tribute of obedience than that which was
formerly paid by reverence and by love.
I perceive that we have destroyed those independent beings
which were able to cope with tyranny single-handed; but it is the
Government that has inherited the privileges of which families,
corporations, and individuals have been deprived; the weakness of
the whole community has therefore succeeded that influence of a
small body of citizens, which, if it was sometimes oppressive,
was often conservative. The division of property has lessened
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum: mistaken. The Tiger seemed to smile, and winked one eye slowly.
"You have a good conscience, friend Horse," it said, "and if you
attend to its teachings it will do much to protect you from harm.
Some day I will let you try to crush in my skull, and afterward you
will know more about tigers than you do now."
"Any friend of Dorothy," remarked the Cowardly Lion, "must be our
friend, as well. So let us cease this talk of skull crushing and
converse upon more pleasant subjects. Have you breakfasted, Sir Horse?"
"Not yet," replied Jim. "But here is plenty of excellent clover, so
if you will excuse me I will eat now."
"He's a vegetarian," remarked the Tiger, as the horse began to munch
Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Cousin Pons by Honore de Balzac: the evil that lurks in the corners of the heart. How she acted upon
the counsels whispered by the serpent will presently be seen.
"Well?" she asked of Schmucke, "has this cherub of ours had plenty to
drink? Is he better?"
"He is not doing fery vell, tear Montame Zipod, not fery vell," said
poor Schmucke, brushing away the tears from his eyes.
"Pooh! you make too much of it, my dear M. Schmucke; we must take
things as we find them; Cibot might be at death's door, and I should
not take it to heart as you do. Come! the cherub has a good
constitution. And he has been steady, it seems, you see; you have no
idea what an age sober people live. He is very ill, it is true, but
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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 A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy: went on again, wrapt in meditation.
'A nice voice,' Elfride thought; 'but what a singular temper!'
'Now we must get indoors before he ascends the slope,' said Mrs.
Swancourt softly. And they went across by a short cut over a
stile, entering the lawn by a side door, and so on to the house.
Mr. Swancourt had gone into the village with the curate, and
Elfride felt too nervous to await their visitor's arrival in the
drawing-room with Mrs. Swancourt. So that when the elder lady
entered, Elfride made some pretence of perceiving a new variety of
crimson geranium, and lingered behind among the flower beds.
There was nothing gained by this, after all, she thought; and a
A Pair of Blue Eyes |
