| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: shall try hereafter to be more contented."
These words delighted the good baron, and he gave a rich and
magnificent feast in honor of his son's return.
The High Ki of Twi, after passing several pleasant days at Nerle's
home, now decided that they had seen enough of the world and would be
glad to return to their own kingdom, where all was peaceful and
uneventful, and rule it to the end of their days. So the baron
furnished them an escort of twenty men-at-arms, and these conducted
the High Ki and the aged Ki safely back to the hole in the hedge.
And after they had entered the Land of Twi, the first act of the High
Ki was to order the hedge repaired and the hole blocked up; and I have
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: thus been reassured as to the consequences of our rupture; but,
seeing me again in Paris, finding herself face to face with me,
pale as I was, she must have realized that I had not returned
without purpose, and she must have asked herself what that
purpose was.
If I had seen Marguerite unhappy, if, in revenging myself upon
her, I could have come to her aid, I should perhaps have forgiven
her, and certainly I should have never dreamt of doing her an
injury. But I found her apparently happy, some one else had
restored to her the luxury which I could not give her; her
breaking with me seemed to assume a character of the basest
Camille |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Georgics by Virgil: Keen charioteer? Needs must a path be tried,
By which I too may lift me from the dust,
And float triumphant through the mouths of men.
Yea, I shall be the first, so life endure,
To lead the Muses with me, as I pass
To mine own country from the Aonian height;
I, Mantua, first will bring thee back the palms
Of Idumaea, and raise a marble shrine
On thy green plain fast by the water-side,
Where Mincius winds more vast in lazy coils,
And rims his margent with the tender reed.
Georgics |
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 A Voyage to Abyssinia by Father Lobo: rains that are almost continually falling in this season make it
impossible to go far from home, for the rivers overflow their banks,
and therefore, in a place like this, where there are neither bridges
nor boats, are, if they are not fordable, utterly impassable. Some,
indeed, have crossed them by means of a cord fastened on both sides
of the water, others tie two beams together, and placing themselves
upon them, guide them as well as they can, but this experiment is so
dangerous that it hath cost many of these bold adventurers their
lives. This is not all the danger, for there is yet more to be
apprehended from the unwholesomeness of the air, and the vapours
which arise from the scorched earth at the fall of the first
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