| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: Thuvan Dihn for warriors and ships that the expedition might be
sufficiently strong to insure success at the first blow.
"And," I concluded, "if there be time bring Tars Tarkas with you,
for if I live until you reach me I can think of few greater pleasures
than to fight once more, shoulder to shoulder, with my old friend."
When Woola had left us Thuvan Dihn and I, hiding in the seventh cave,
discussed and discarded many plans for crossing the eighth chamber.
From where we stood we saw that the fighting among the apts was
growing less, and that many that had been feeding had ceased and
The Warlord of Mars |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Rinkitink In Oz by L. Frank Baum: weaving itself into a net, until it had enveloped the
little King from head to foot and placed him in a
prison of gold.
"Aha!" cried Kaliko; "this magic worked all right, it
seems.
"Oh, did it?" replied Rinkitink, and stepping forward
he walked right through the golden net, which fell to
the floor in a tangled mass
Kaliko rubbed his chin thoughtfully and stared hard
at Rinkitink.
"I understand a good bit of magic," said ,he, "but
Rinkitink In Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: The stranger looked back into the fire. "And who gave it to them?" he
asked softly.
"Why, England, of course. She gave them the land to far beyond the Zambezi
to do what they liked with, and make as much money out of as they could,
and she'd back 'em."
"Who gave the land to the men and women of England?" asked the stranger
softly.
"Why, the devil! They said it was theirs, and of course it was," said
Peter.
"And the people of the land: did England give you the people also?"
Peter looked a little doubtfully at the stranger. "Yes, of course, she
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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 American by Henry James: be the most agreeable thing in the world, the consciousness
of having bought your pleasure beforehand and paid for it.
You have not a day of reckoning staring you in the face.
Your reckonings are over."
"Well, I suppose I am happy," said Newman, meditatively.
"You have been odiously successful."
"Successful in copper," said Newman, "only so-so in railroads,
and a hopeless fizzle in oil."
"It is very disagreeable to know how Americans have made their money.
Now you have the world before you. You have only to enjoy."
"Oh, I suppose I am very well off," said Newman. "Only I am tired
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