| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lucile by Owen Meredith: In some measure, alas! to her own loss and hurt
In the serious thoughts of a man! . . . This reflection
O'er the love which he felt cast a shade of dejection,
From which he forever escaped to the thought
Doubt could reach not . . . "I love her, and all else is naught!"
VIII.
His hand trembled strangely in breaking the seal
Of the letter which reach'd him at last from Lucile.
At the sight of the very first words that he read,
That letter dropp'd down from his hand like the dead
Leaf in autumn, that, falling, leaves naked and bare
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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: although he knew that Inga possessed the Blue Pearl,
that would only give to him marvelous strength, and
perhaps strength alone would not enable him to escape
from danger. But he would not let Kaliko see the fear
he felt for Inga's safety, so he said in a careless
way:
"You're a mighty poor magician, Kaliko, and I'll give
you my crown if Inga hasn't escaped any danger you have
threatened him with."
"Your whole crown is not worth one of the valuable
diamonds in my crown," answered the Nome King, "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 The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy: been necessary for developing it to exceptional proportions. One
day, book in hand, he walked in a part of the wood where the trees
were mainly oaks. It was a calm afternoon, and there was
everywhere around that sign of great undertakings on the part of
vegetable nature which is apt to fill reflective human beings who
are not undertaking much themselves with a sudden uneasiness at
the contrast. He heard in the distance a curious sound, something
like the quack of a duck, which, though it was common enough here
about this time, was not common to him.
Looking through the trees Fitzpiers soon perceived the origin of
the noise. The barking season had just commenced, and what he had
The Woodlanders |
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 Malbone: An Oldport Romance by Thomas Wentworth Higginson: the name on Harry's card, seemed about to ask a question, but
forbore, and took his leave amid the general confusion, without
even giving his address. When sought next day, he was not to
be found, and to the children he at once became as much a
creature of romance as the sea-serpent or the Flying Dutchman.
Even Hope's strong constitution felt the shock of this
adventure. She was confined to her room for a week or two, but
begged that there might be no postponement of the wedding,
which, therefore, took place without her. Her illness gave
excuse for a privacy that was welcome to all but the
bridesmaids, and suited Malbone best of all.
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