The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: a centre of beauty; we are provocative of beauty, much as a gentle
and sincere character is provocative of sincerity and gentleness in
others. And even where there is no harmony to be elicited by the
quickest and most obedient of spirits, we may still embellish a place
with some attraction of romance. We may learn to go far afield for
associations, and handle them lightly when we have found them.
Sometimes an old print comes to our aid; I have seen many a spot lit
up at once with picturesque imaginations, by a reminiscence of
Callot, or Sadeler, or Paul Brill. Dick Turpin has been my lay
figure for many an English lane. And I suppose the Trossachs would
hardly be the Trossachs for most tourists if a man of admirable
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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 The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: but as we have always eaten your cookies and liked them--except when
they are burned on the bottom--we do not long for any better ones."
Cayke might have agreed to this argument had she not been so anxious
to find her precious dishpan, but now she exclaimed impatiently, "You
are cowards, all of you! If none of you are willing to explore with
me the great world beyond this small hill, I will surely go alone."
"That is a wise resolve," declared the Yips, much relieved. "It is
your dishpan that is lost, not ours. And if you are willing to risk
your life and liberty to regain it, no one can deny you the
privilege."
While they were thus conversing, the Frogman joined them and looked
The Lost Princess of Oz |