| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: and powder, which the wind dispersed. The Republican commander, as
soon as he saw his first orders admirably executed, changed the
direction of his battery so as to sweep, successively, the valley of
the Nancon, the Queen's Staircase, and the base of the rock of
Fougeres. Two guns posted at the gate of Saint-Leonard scattered the
ant-hill of Chouans who had seized that position, and the national
guard of the town, rushing in haste to the square before the Church,
succeeded in dislodging the enemy. The fight lasted only half an hour,
and cost the Blues a hundred men. The Chouans, beaten on all sides,
retreated under orders from the Gars, whose bold attempt failed
(although he did not know this) in consequence of the massacre at La
The Chouans |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Animal Farm by George Orwell: carried it off in cart-loads, the sheep dragged single blocks, even Muriel
and Benjamin yoked themselves into an old governess-cart and did their
share. By late summer a sufficient store of stone had accumulated, and
then the building began, under the superintendence of the pigs.
But it was a slow, laborious process. Frequently it took a whole day of
exhausting effort to drag a single boulder to the top of the quarry, and
sometimes when it was pushed over the edge it failed to break. Nothing
could have been achieved without Boxer, whose strength seemed equal to
that of all the rest of the animals put together. When the boulder began
to slip and the animals cried out in despair at finding themselves dragged
down the hill, it was always Boxer who strained himself against the rope
Animal Farm |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: army of vengeance ever met them!
But lo! coming to meet his loyal friends appeared the imposing form of
Santa Claus, his white beard floating in the breeze and his bright
eyes sparkling with pleasure at this proof of the love and veneration
he had inspired in the hearts of the most powerful creatures in existence.
And while they clustered around him and danced with glee at his safe
return, he gave them earnest thanks for their support. But Wisk, and
Nuter, and Peter, and Kilter, he embraced affectionately.
"It is useless to pursue the Daemons," said Santa Claus to the army.
"They have their place in the world, and can never be destroyed. But
that is a great pity, nevertheless," he continued musingly.
A Kidnapped Santa Claus |
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 Odyssey by Homer: go in fear of wreck or ruin. Howbeit I heard upon a time
this word thus spoken by my father Nausithous, who was wont
to say that Poseidon was jealous of us for that we give
safe escort to all men. He said that the god would some day
smite a well-wrought ship of the Phaeacians as she came
home from a convoy over the misty deep, and would
overshadow our city with a great mountain. Thus that
ancient one would speak, and thus the god may bring it
about, or leave it undone, according to the good pleasure
of his will. But come now, declare me this and plainly tell
it all; whither wast thou borne wandering, and to what
The Odyssey |
