| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Battle of the Books by Jonathan Swift: confess, that in the present posture of our affairs at home or
abroad, I do not yet see the absolute necessity of extirpating the
Christian religion from among us.
This perhaps may appear too great a paradox even for our wise and
paxodoxical age to endure; therefore I shall handle it with all
tenderness, and with the utmost deference to that great and
profound majority which is of another sentiment.
And yet the curious may please to observe, how much the genius of a
nation is liable to alter in half an age. I have heard it affirmed
for certain by some very odd people, that the contrary opinion was
even in their memories as much in vogue as the other is now; and
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from St. Ives by Robert Louis Stevenson: my way. You won't tell me what you charge? Very well; I will do
without! I can trust you! You don't seem to know when you have a
good lodger; but I know perfectly when I have an honest landlady!
Rowley, unstrap the valises!'
Will it be credited? The monomaniac fell to rating me for my
indiscretion! But the battle was over; these were her last guns,
and more in the nature of a salute than of renewed hostilities.
And presently she condescended on very moderate terms, and Rowley
and I were able to escape in quest of supper. Much time had,
however, been lost; the sun was long down, the lamps glimmered
along the streets, and the voice of a watchman already resounded in
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| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: Summer was done. September's full moon was several nights ago; he had
gone on his hunt with Lin, and now spelling-books were at hand. But more
than this clouded his mind, he had been brought to say good-bye to
Jessamine Buckner, who had scarcely seen him, and to give her a
wolverene-skin, a hunting trophy. "She can have it," he told me. "I like
her." Then he stole a look at his guardian. "If they get married and send
me back to mother," said he, "I'll run away sure." So school and this old
dread haunted the child, while for the man, Lin the lucky, who suspected
nothing of it, time was ever bringing love nearer to his hearth. His
Jessamine had visited Box Elder, and even said she wanted chickens there;
since when Mr. McLean might occasionally have been seen at his cabin,
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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 Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum: and followed his companions into a big, bare hallway.
Scarcely were the three inside, however, when they
heard the door slam shut behind them, and this
astonished them because no one had touched it. It had
closed of its own accord, as if by magic. Moreover,
the latch was on the outside, and the thought occurred
to each one of them that they were now prisoners in
this unknown castle.
"However," mumbled the Scarecrow, "we are not to
blame for what cannot be helped; so let us push bravely
ahead and see what may be seen."
The Tin Woodman of Oz |
