| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: The King Awgwa looked around upon this vast army and his heart beat
high with wicked pride, for he believed he would surely triumph over
his gentle enemies, who had never before been known to fight. But the
Master Woodsman had not been idle. None of his people was used to
warfare, yet now that they were called upon to face the hosts of evil
they willingly prepared for the fray.
Ak had commanded them to assemble in the Laughing Valley, where Claus,
ignorant of the terrible battle that was to be waged on his account,
was quietly making his toys.
Soon the entire Valley, from hill to hill, was filled with the little
immortals. The Master Woodsman stood first, bearing a gleaming ax
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: too. Pain has taught me that I must not lay myself open to this a
second time. I cannot understand how it is that I am living yet, after
the anguish of that first week of the most fearful crisis in a woman's
life. Only from three years of loneliness would it be possible to draw
strength to speak of that time as I am speaking now. Such agony,
monsieur, usually ends in death; but this--well, it was the agony of
death with no tomb to end it. Oh! I have known pain indeed!"
The Vicomtesse raised her beautiful eyes to the ceiling; and the
cornice, no doubt, received all the confidences which a stranger might
not hear. When a woman is afraid to look at her interlocutor, there is
in truth no gentler, meeker, more accommodating confidant than the
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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 Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: Jetter. God help us! This is a sad business.
Clara. Stay! Stay! Shrink not away at the sound of his name, to meet
whom ye were wont to press forward so joyously!--When rumour
announced his approach, when the cry arose, "Egmont comes! He comes
from Ghent!"--then happy indeed were those citizens who dwelt in the
streets through which he was to pass. And when the neighing of his steed
was heard, did not every one throw aside his work, while a ray of hope
and joy, like a sunbeam from his countenance, stole over the toil-worn
faces that peered from every window. Then, as ye stood in the doorways,
ye would lift up your children in your arms, and pointing to him, exclaim:
"See, that is Egmont, he who towers above the rest! 'Tis from bird that ye
Egmont |
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 Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: chatterbox,' said Gobseck to me, resigning his chair at the bureau in
my favor.
" 'Madame is without doubt a married woman?' I tried again.
"She nodded abruptly.
" 'Then I will not draw up the deed,' said I.
" 'And why not?' asked Gobseck.
" 'Why not?' echoed I, as I drew the old man into the bay window so as
to speak aside with him. 'Why not? This woman is under her husband's
control; the agreement would be void in law; you could not possibly
assert your ignorance of a fact recorded on the very face of the
document itself. You would be compelled at once to produce the
Gobseck |
