| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Hidden Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac: by a man in feeble health, apparently about forty years of age, "Good-
morning, maitre."
Porbus bowed respectfully, and made way for his guest, allowing the
youth to pass in at the same time, under the impression that he came
with the old man, and taking no further notice of him; all the less
perhaps because the neophyte stood still beneath the spell which holds
a heaven-born painter as he sees for the first time an atelier filled
with the materials and instruments of his art. Daylight came from a
casement in the roof and fell, focussed as it were, upon a canvas
which rested on an easel in the middle of the room, and which bore, as
yet, only three or four chalk lines. The light thus concentrated did
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum: outstretched before her.
"I can feel something hard - something smooth as
glass," she said, "but I'm sure it is not glass."
"Let me try," suggested Woot, getting up; but when he
tried to go forward, he discovered the same barrier
that Polychrome had encountered.
"No," he said, "it isn't glass. But what is it?"
"Air," replied a small voice beside him. "Solid air;
that's all."
They all looked downward and found a sky-blue rabbit
had stuck his head out of a burrow in the ground. The
The Tin Woodman of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Common Sense by Thomas Paine: Give us proof of your sincerity by publishing it at St. James's,
to the commanders in chief at Boston, to the Admirals and Captains
who are piratically ravaging our coasts, and to all the murdering
miscreants who are acting in authority under HIM whom ye profess to serve.
Had ye the honest soul of BARCLAY ye would preach repentance to YOUR king;
Ye would tell the Royal Wretch his sins, and warn him of eternal ruin.
["Thou hast tasted of prosperity and adversity; thou knowest what it is
to be banished thy native country, to be over-ruled as well as to rule,
and set upon the throne; and being oppressed thou hast reason to know
how hateful the oppressor is both to God and man: If after all these warnings
and advertisements, thou dost not turn unto the Lord with all thy heart,
Common Sense |
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 Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: Turk, than you seem to be in a fair way of doing."
The only answer of the dying man--(for as such Ranald MacEagh
might now be considered)--was a request to be raised to such a
position that he might obtain a view from the window of the
Castle. The deep frost mist, which had long settled upon the top
of the mountains, was now rolling down each rugged glen and
gully, where the craggy ridges showed their black and irregular
outline, like desert islands rising above the ocean of vapour.
"Spirit of the Mist!" said Ranald MacEagh, "called by our race
our father, and our preserver--receive into thy tabernacle of
clouds, when this pang is over, him whom in life thou hast so
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