| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry: I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of
experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past.
And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct
of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with
which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House.
Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received?
Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves
to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our
petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and
darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and
reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: I went to join the Earl and the children, and we waited--almost in
silence, for no one seemed inclined to talk, and Bruno was half-asleep
on Sylvie's lap--till the others joined us. No telegram had come.
"I'll take a stroll with the children," I said, feeling that we were a
little de trop, "and I'll look in, in the course of the evening."
"We must go back into the wood, now," Sylvie said, as soon as we were
out of hearing.
"We ca'n't stay this size any longer."
"Then you will be quite tiny Fairies again, next time we meet?"
"Yes," said Sylvie: "but we'll be children again some day--if you'll
let us. Bruno's very anxious to see Lady Muriel again."
Sylvie and Bruno |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Koran: the dwellers there with fruits, such as believe in God and the last
day!' (God) said, 'And he who misbelieves, I will give him but
little to enjoy, then will drive him to the torment of the fire, an
evil journey will it be.'
And when Abraham raised up the foundations of the House with
Ishmael, 'Lord! receive it from us, verily, thou art hearing and
dost know. Lord! and make us too resigned unto Thee, and of our seed
also a nation resigned unto Thee, and show us our rites, and turn
towards us, verily, Thou art easy to be turned and merciful. Lord! and
send them an apostle from amongst themselves, to read to them Thy
signs and teach them the Book and wisdom, and to purify them;
The Koran |
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 Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: "But the Lion and the Mule cannot stand the prickers," asserted
Dorothy, "and we can't leave them behind."
"Must we all go back?" asked Trot.
"Course not!" replied Button-Bright scornfully.
"Always when there's trouble, there's a way out of it if you can find it."
"I wish the Scarecrow was here," said Scraps, standing on her head on
the Woozy's square back. "His splendid brains would soon show us how
to conquer this field of thistles."
"What's the matter with YOUR brains?" asked the boy.
"Nothing," she said, making a flip-flop into the thistles and dancing
among them without feeling their sharp points. "I could tell you in
The Lost Princess of Oz |
