| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: barbarous. A conquered city was liable to be razed to the ground,
its male inhabitants put to the sword, its women sold as slaves.
Under such circumstances, according to Taine's happy expression,
a citizen must be a politician and warrior, on pain of death. And
not only fear, but ambition also tended to make him so. For each
city strove to subject or to humiliate its neighbours, to acquire
tribute, or to exact homage from its rivals. Thus the citizen
passed his life in the public square, discussing alliances,
treaties, and constitutions, hearing speeches, or speaking
himself, and finally going aboard of his ship to fight his
neighbour Greeks, or to sail against Egypt or Persia.
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: maidens from strands drawn from pure emeralds, and being a girl who
loved pretty clothes, Ozma's ecstasy at being presented with this
exquisite gown may well be imagined. She could hardly wait to put it
on, but the table was loaded with other pretty gifts and the night was
far spent before the happy girl Ruler had examined all her presents
and thanked those who had lovingly donated them.
23. The Fountain of Oblivion
The morning after the birthday fete, as the Wizard and Dorothy were walking
in the grounds of the palace, Ozma came out and joined them, saying:
"I want to hear more of your adventures in the Forest of Gugu, and
how you were able to get those dear little monkeys to use in Dorothy's
The Magic of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Three Taverns by Edwin Arlington Robinson: Being sorry for them in their fashioning,
Indemnified them with a quaint esteem
Of self, and with illusions long as life.
You know them well, and you have smiled at them;
And they, in their serenity, may have had
Their time to smile at you. Blessed are they
That see themselves for what they never were
Or were to be, and are, for their defect,
At ease with mirrors and the dim remarks
That pass their tranquil ears."
"Come, come," said I;
|
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 A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare: Hel. O that your frownes would teach my smiles
such skil
Her. I giue him curses, yet he giues me loue
Hel. O that my prayers could such affection mooue
Her. The more I hate, the more he followes me
Hel. The more I loue, the more he hateth me
Her. His folly Helena is none of mine
Hel. None but your beauty, wold that fault wer mine
Her. Take comfort: he no more shall see my face,
Lysander and my selfe will flie this place.
Before the time I did Lysander see,
A Midsummer Night's Dream |
