The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: With this the Wolf ran on, and the Glass Cat, which knew where the
big clearing was, went toward it. But now it walked more slowly, and
its pink brains rolled and tumbled around at a great rate because it
was thinking over the amazing news the Wolf had told it.
When the Glass Cat reached the clearing, it saw a Fox, a Lamb, a
Rabbit, a Munchkin boy and a fat Gillikin woman, all wandering around
in an aimless sort of way, for they were again searching for the Black
Bag of Magic Tools.
The Cat watched them a moment and then it walked slowly into the
open space. At once the Lamb ran toward it, crying:
"Oh, Wizard, here's the Glass Cat!"
The Magic of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Collected Articles by Frederick Douglass: and it so happened that this Captain McGowan sat at a window where
he could see me very distinctly, and would certainly have recognized
me had he looked at me but for a second. Fortunately, in the hurry
of the moment, he did not see me; and the trains soon passed each
other on their respective ways. But this was not my only hair-
breadth escape. A German blacksmith whom I knew well was on the
train with me, and looked at me very intently, as if he thought
he had seen me somewhere before in his travels. I really
believe he knew me, but had no heart to betray me. At any rate,
he saw me escaping and held his peace.
The last point of imminent danger, and the one I dreaded most,
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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 The Arrow of Gold by Joseph Conrad: or so during the day. He had gone and thrown himself on his bed.
"I admire him exceedingly," Mrs. Blunt was saying in a tone which
was not at all maternal. "His distinction, his fastidiousness, the
earnest warmth of his heart. I know him well. I assure you that I
would never have dared to suggest," she continued with an
extraordinary haughtiness of attitude and tone that aroused my
attention, "I would never have dared to put before him my views of
the extraordinary merits and the uncertain fate of the exquisite
woman of whom we speak, if I had not been certain that, partly by
my fault, I admit, his attention has been attracted to her and his
- his - his heart engaged."
The Arrow of Gold |
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 Phoenix and the Turtle by William Shakespeare: Either was the other's mine.
Property was thus appall'd,
That the self was not the same;
Single nature's double name
Neither two nor one was call'd.
Reason, in itself confounded,
Saw division grow together;
To themselves yet either-neither,
Simple were so well compounded.
That it cried how true a twain
Seemeth this concordant one!
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