Today's Stichomancy for Liza Minnelli

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum:

At that moment the doors that led to the palace flew open and the people of Ev and the people of Oz were disclosed to view. They paused, astonished, at sight of the warriors and the angry Nome King, seated in their midst.

"Surrender!" cried the King, in a loud voice. "You are my prisoners."

"Go 'long!" answered Billina, from the Scarecrow's shoulder. "You promised me that if I guessed correctly my friends and I might depart in safety. And you always keep your promises."

"I said you might leave the palace in safety," retorted the King; "and so you may, but you cannot leave my dominions. You are my prisoners, and I will hurl you all into my underground dungeons, where the

Ozma of Oz

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas:

king to his study, and begged him to be seated. "Sire," said he, "your majesty just now told me that, in the present state of England, a million would suffice for the recovery of your kingdom."

"To attempt it at least, monsieur, and to die as a king if I should not succeed."

"Well, then, sire, let your majesty, according to the promise you have made me, have the goodness to listen to what I have to say." Charles made an affirmative sign with his head. Athos walked straight up to the door, the bolts of which he drew, after looking to see if anybody was near, and

Ten Years Later

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Seraphita by Honore de Balzac:

brought into the presence of the infinite of Numbers, which God alone can comprehend as He alone can comprehend Himself.

Strength and Love! what heights, what depths in those two entities, whom the Seraph's first prayer placed like two links, as it were, to unite the immensities of the lower worlds with the immensity of the higher universe!

They comprehended the invisible ties by which the material worlds are bound to the spiritual worlds. Remembering the sublime efforts of human genius, they were able to perceive the principle of all melody in the songs of heaven which gave sensations of color, of perfume, of thought, which recalled the innumerable details of all creations, as

Seraphita

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 Tanach:

Proverbs 22: 2 The rich and the poor meet together--the LORD is the maker of them all.

Proverbs 22: 3 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.

Proverbs 22: 4 The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, even riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 22: 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.

Proverbs 22: 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22: 7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22: 8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity; and the rod of his wrath shall fail.

Proverbs 22: 9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Proverbs 22: 10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will go out; yea, strife and shame will cease.

Proverbs 22: 11 He that loveth pureness of heart, that hath grace in his lips, the king shall be his friend.

Proverbs 22: 12 The eyes of the LORD preserve him that hath knowledge, but He overthroweth the words of the faithless man.

The Tanach