| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs: stood silently by, watching the loving tenderness
that marked each deft, little movement of her strong, brown hands.
The revelations of the past few minutes had shocked
the old man into stupefied silence. It was difficult,
almost impossible, for him to believe that Sing
had spoken the truth and that this man was not one of
the creatures of his own creation; yet from the bottom
of his heart he prayed that it might prove the truth,
for he saw that his daughter loved the man with a love
that would be stayed by no obstacle or bound by no man-made law,
or social custom.
The Monster Men |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Light of Western Stars by Zane Grey: to Madeline's acute sensation. Uncovering her face, she saw Link
was passing another village. Could it be Bernardino? She asked
Link--repeated the question.
"Sure," he replied. "Eighty miles."
Link did not this time apologize for the work of his machine.
Madeline marked the omission with her first thrill of the ride.
Leaning over, she glanced at Link's watch, which he had fastened
upon the wheel in front of his eyes. A quarter to ten! Link had
indeed made short work of the valley miles.
Beyond Bernardino Link sheered off the road and put the car to a
long, low-rising slope. Here the valley appeared to run south
The Light of Western Stars |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling: timber. I came very near to falling on my last hunt--very near
indeed--and the noise of my slipping, for my tail was not tight
wrapped around the tree, waked the Bandar-log, and they called me
most evil names."
"Footless, yellow earth-worm," said Bagheera under his
whiskers, as though he were trying to remember something.
"Sssss! Have they ever called me that?" said Kaa.
"Something of that kind it was that they shouted to us last
moon, but we never noticed them. They will say anything--even
that thou hast lost all thy teeth, and wilt not face anything
bigger than a kid, because (they are indeed shameless, these
The Jungle Book |
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 Poems of William Blake by William Blake: I pass away, yet I complain, and no one hears my voice.
The Cloud then shewd his golden head & his bright form emerg'd.
Hovering and glittering on the air before the face of Thel.
O virgin know'st thou not our steeds drink of the golden springs
Where Luvah doth renew his horses: lookst thou on my youth.
And fearest thou because I vanish and am seen no more.
Nothing remains; O maid I tell thee, when I pass away.
It is to tenfold life, to love, to peace, and raptures holy:
Unseen descending, weigh my light wings upon balmy flowers:
And court the fair eyed dew, to take me to her shining tent
The weeping virgin, trembling kneels before the risen sun.
Poems of William Blake |
