| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Phantasmagoria and Other Poems by Lewis Carroll: Last, the youngest son was taken:
Very rough and thick his hair was,
Very round and red his face was,
Very dusty was his jacket,
Very fidgety his manner.
And his overbearing sisters
Called him names he disapproved of:
Called him Johnny, 'Daddy's Darling,'
Called him Jacky, 'Scrubby School-boy.'
And, so awful was the picture,
In comparison the others
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Memories and Portraits by Robert Louis Stevenson: A narrative called PARADISE LOST was written in English verse by
one John Milton; what was it then? It was next translated by
Chateaubriand into French prose; and what was it then? Lastly, the
French translation was, by some inspired compatriot of George
Gilfillan (and of mine) turned bodily into an English novel; and,
in the name of clearness, what was it then?
But, once more, why should we add "fictitious"? The reason why is
obvious. The reason why not, if something more recondite, does not
want for weight. The art of narrative, in fact, is the same,
whether it is applied to the selection and illustration of a real
series of events or of an imaginary series. Boswell's LIFE OF
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Master of the World by Jules Verne: Suddenly a cry was heard, a cry repeated from a thousand throats.
Another airship had appeared in the distant skies and it now
approached with marvelous rapidity. It was another "Albatross,"
perhaps even superior to the first. Robur and his men had escaped
death in the Pacific; and, burning for revenge, they had constructed
a second airship in their secret Island X.
Like a gigantic bird of prey, the "Albatross" hurled itself upon the
"Go-Ahead." Doubtless, Robur, while avenging himself wished also to
prove the immeasurable superiority of the heavier than air machines.
Mr. Prudent and Mr. Evans defended themselves as best they could.
Knowing that their balloon had nothing like the horizontal speed of
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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 Desert Gold by Zane Grey: fourth shot he, too, slipped to the ground.
The reports had frightened the horses in the corral; and the vicious
black, crowding the rickety bars, broke them down. He came plunging
out. Two of the Mexicans ran for him, catching him by nose and
mane, and the third ran to block the gateway.
Then, with a splendid vaulting mount, the Mexican with the gun
leaped to the back of the horse. He yelled and waved his gun, and
urged the black forward. The manner of all three was savagely
jocose. They were having sport. The two on the ground began to
dance and jabber. The mounted leader shot again, and then stuck
like a leech upon the bare back of the rearing black. It was a vain
Desert Gold |
