| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert: The Roman people threatened the Republic with immediate hostilities
unless she gave twelve hundred talents with the whole of the island of
Sardinia. They had accepted the alliance of the Barbarians, and they
despatched to them flat-bottomed boats laden with meal and dried meat.
The Carthaginians pursued these, and captured five hundred men; but
three days afterwards a fleet coming from Byzacena, and conveying
provisions to Carthage, foundered in a storm. The gods were evidently
declaring against her.
Upon this the citizens of Hippo-Zarytus, under pretence of an alarm,
made Hanno's three hundred men ascend their walls; then coming behind
them they took them by the legs, and suddenly threw them over the
Salammbo |
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 Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: is still another sort of button which is covered with dull cloth, and
that must be the sort your papa meant when he said you were bright as
a button. Don't you think so?"
"Don't know," said Button-Bright.
Jack Pumpkinhead arrived, wearing a pair of new, white kid gloves; and
he brought a birthday present for Ozma consisting of a necklace of
pumpkin-seeds. In each seed was set a sparkling carolite, which is
considered the rarest and most beautiful gem that exists. The
necklace was in a plush case and Jellia Jamb put it on a table with
the Princess Ozma's other presents.
Next came a tall, beautiful woman clothed in a splendid trailing gown,
The Road to Oz |
