| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs: cannot concentrate long enough upon a single idea. If I told
them of this they would be much interested for a short time --
I might even hold the interest of a few long enough to get
them here and explain their duties to them; but soon they
would lose interest and when you needed them most they
might be off in the forest searching for beetles instead of
watching their posts. They have the minds of little children
-- that is why they remain what they are."
"You call them Mangani and yourself Tarmangani -- what is
the difference?" asked Major Preswick.
"Tar means white," replied Tarzan, "and Mangani, great
Tarzan the Untamed |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Droll Stories, V. 1 by Honore de Balzac: it to perpetuate in this lower world the glorious works of God. The
page was tempted to take the shoe from this persuasive foot. To
accomplish this his eyes glowing with the fire of his age, went
swiftly, like the clapper of a bell, from this said foot of
delectation to the sleeping countenance of his lady and mistress,
listening to her slumber, drinking in her respiration again and again,
it did not know where it would be sweetest to plant a kiss--whether on
the ripe red lips of the seneschal's wife or on this speaking foot. At
length, from respect or fear, or perhaps from great love, he chose the
foot, and kissed it hastily, like a maiden who dares not. Then
immediately he took up his book, feeling his red cheeks redder still,
Droll Stories, V. 1 |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: why the man was thus slain. By Eteonicus's orders the answer was set
afloat, "because he carried a reed." As the explanation circulated,
one reed-bearer after another threw away the symbol, each one saying
to himself, as he heard the reason given, "I have better not be seen
with this." After a while Eteonicus called a meeting of the Chians,
and imposed upon them a contribution of money, on the ground that with
pay in their pockets the sailors would have no temptation to
revolutionary projects. The Chians acquiesced. Whereupon Eteonicus
promptly ordered his crews to get on board their vessels. He then
rowed alongside each ship in turn, and addressed the men at some
length in terms of encouragement and cheery admonition, just as though
|
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 Young Forester by Zane Grey: Presently I saw the bottom of the canyon, an open glade, and an old
log-cabin. I looked back to see if the hunter was coming. He was not in
sight, but I fancied I heard him. Then Cubby, putting on extra steam, took
the remaining rods of the slope in another spurt. I had to race, then fly,
and at last lost my footing and plunged down into a thicket.
There farther progress stopped for both of us. Cubby had gone down on one
side of a sapling and I on the other, with the result that we were brought
up short. I crashed through some low bushes and bumped squarely into the
cub. Whether it was his frantic effort to escape, or just excitement, or
deliberate intention to beat me into a jelly I had no means to tell. The
fact was he began to dig at me and paw me and maul me. Never had I been so
The Young Forester |
