| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: Into the hands of these Graces I was accordingly offered up, and found
them dressed beyond what I had thought possible, and looking fair as a
posy.
As we went forth from the doors a small circumstance occurred which
came afterwards to look extremely big. I heard a whistle sound loud
and brief like a signal, and looking all about, spied for one moment
the red head of Neil of the Tom, the son of Duncan. The next moment he
was gone again, nor could I see so much as the skirt-tail of Catriona,
upon whom I naturally supposed him to be then attending.
My three keepers led me out by Bristo and the Bruntsfield Links; whence
a path carried us to Hope Park, a beautiful pleasance, laid with
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum: dignity. "Billina is my friend, and must go wherever I go."
Without more words the maid led them to a richly furnished
drawing-room, lighted with subdued rainbow tints that came in through
beautiful stained-glass windows.
"Remain here," she said. "What names shall I give the Princess?"
"I am Dorothy Gale, of Kansas," replied the child; "and this gentleman
is a machine named Tiktok, and the yellow hen is my friend Billina."
The little servant bowed and withdrew, going through several passages
and mounting two marble stairways before she came to the apartments
occupied by her mistress.
Princess Langwidere's sitting-room was paneled with great mirrors,
Ozma of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Plutarch's Lives by A. H. Clough: wife then taking it under her care, sets it in order, and the
principal ceremonies are performed during the night, the women
playing together amongst themselves as they keep watch, and
music of various kinds going on.
As Pompeia was at that time celebrating this feast, Clodius, who
as yet had no beard, and so thought to pass undiscovered, took
upon him the dress and ornaments of a singing woman, and so came
thither, having the air of a young girl. Finding the doors
open, he was without any stop introduced by the maid, who was in
the intrigue. She presently ran to tell Pompeia, but as she was
away a long time, he grew uneasy in waiting for her, and left
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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 Ancient Regime by Charles Kingsley: first his deputy, and then his master.
Understand me--I am not speaking against the hereditary principle of
the Ancien Regime, but against its caste principle--two widely
different elements, continually confounded nowadays.
The hereditary principle is good, because it is founded on fact and
nature. If men's minds come into the world blank sheets of paper--
which I much doubt--every other part and faculty of them comes in
stamped with hereditary tendencies and peculiarities. There are
such things as transmitted capabilities for good and for evil; and
as surely as the offspring of a good horse or dog is likely to be
good, so is the offspring of a good man, and still more of a good
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