| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Hiero by Xenophon: And when, finally, the citizens discover it is not the habit of these
mercenaries to injure those who do no wrong, but their vocation rather
is to hinder all attempts at evil-doing; whereby they exercise a
kindly providence and bear the brunt of danger on behalf of the
community, I say it must needs be, the citizens will rejoice to pay
the expenses which the force entails. At any rate, it is for objects
of far less importance that at present guards[9] are kept in private
life.
[9] "Police or other."
XI
But, Hiero, you must not grudge to spend a portion of your private
|
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: it seems best to start upon our return journey at
once. If I get wet, my straw stuffing will be ruined,
and if you two tin gentlemen get wet, you may
perhaps rust again, and become useless. But even
that is better than to stay here. Once we are free
of the barrier, we have Woot the Wanderer to help
us, and he can oil your joints and restuff my body,
if it becomes necessary, for the boy is made of meat,
which neither rusts nor gets soggy or moldy."
"Come along, then!" cried Polychrome from the window,
and the others, realizing the wisdom of the Scarecrow's
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 Christ in Flanders by Honore de Balzac: lived by that divine promise, the loving words from his lips; the
simple creature waited trustingly for them to be fulfilled, and
scarcely feared the danger any longer.
The soldier, holding fast to the vessel's side, never took his eyes
off the strange visitor. He copied on his own rough and swarthy
features the imperturbability of the other's face, applying to this
task the whole strength of a will and intelligence but little
corrupted in the course of a life of mechanical and passive obedience.
So emulous was he of a calm and tranquil courage greater than his own,
that at last, perhaps unconsciously, something of that mysterious
nature passed into his own soul. His admiration became an instinctive
|
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 Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom by William and Ellen Craft: "What!" he exclaimed, with astonishment, "to
Philumadelphy?"
"Yes," I said.
"By squash! I wish I was going wid you! I
hears um say dat dare's no slaves way over in dem
parts; is um so?"
I quietly said, "I have heard the same thing."
"Well," continued he, as he threw down the
boot and brush, and, placing his hands in his
pockets, strutted across the floor with an air
of independence--"Gorra Mighty, dem is de parts
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom |
