| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: wealth of Oz for themselves. But up to the time when the cruel and
crafty Nome, Ruggedo, conspired with Kiki Aru, the Hyup, all such
attempts had failed. The Oz people suspected no danger. Life in the
world's nicest fairyland was one round of joyous, happy days.
In the center of the Emerald City of Oz, the capital city of Ozma's
dominions, is a vast and beautiful garden, surrounded by a wall inlaid
with shining emeralds, and in the center of this garden stands
Ozma's Royal Palace, the most splendid building ever constructed.
From a hundred towers and domes floated the banners of Oz, which
included the Ozmies, the Munchkins, the Gillikins, the Winkies and the
Quadlings. The banner of the Munchkins is blue, that of the Winkies
The Magic of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Off on a Comet by Jules Verne: necessary provisions would soon be running short, and that their stock
of coffee, sugar, and tobacco would want replenishing. Servadac's mind,
of course, turned to the cargo on board the _Hansa_, and he resolved,
according to his promise, to apply to the Jew and become a purchaser.
Mutual interest and necessity thus conspired to draw Hakkabut and
the captain together.
Often and often had Isaac gloated in his solitude over the prospect
of first selling a portion of his merchandise for all the gold
and silver in the colony. His recent usurious transaction
had whetted his appetite. He would next part with some more
of his cargo for all the paper money they could give him;
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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 Montezuma's Daughter by H. Rider Haggard: cacique my master, or command him to give me up to you, and take me
with you to Tenoctitlan.'
Guatemoc laughed aloud. 'You put things plainly, maiden,' he said,
'but know that in the city of Tenoctitlan, my wife and royal
cousin, Tecuichpo, awaits me, and with her three other ladies, who
as it chances are somewhat jealous.'
Now Marina flushed beneath her brown skin, and for the first and
last time I saw her gentle eyes grow hard with anger as she
answered:
'I asked you to take me with you, prince; I did not ask to be your
wife or love.'
Montezuma's Daughter |
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 Coxon Fund by Henry James: She made no allusion whatever to George Gravener--I thought her
silence the only good taste and her gaiety perhaps a part of the
very anxiety of that discretion, the effect of a determination that
people shouldn't know from herself that her relations with the man
she was to marry were strained. All the weight, however, that she
left me to throw was a sufficient implication of the weight HE had
thrown in vain. Oh she knew the question of character was immense,
and that one couldn't entertain any plan for making merit
comfortable without running the gauntlet of that terrible
procession of interrogation-points which, like a young ladies'
school out for a walk, hooked their uniform noses at the tail of
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