| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Royalty Restored/London Under Charles II by J. Fitzgerald Molloy: Prince George of Denmark--subsequently husband of Queen Anne--
acted as chief mourner, attended by the Dukes of Somerset and
Beaufort, and sixteen earls. One of the kings of Arms carried
the crown and cushion, the train being closed by the king's band
of gentlemen pensioners, and the yeomen of the guard.
At the abbey entrance the dean and prebendaries, attended by
torch bearers, and followed by a surpliced choir, met the
remains, and joined the procession, the slow pacing figures of
which seemed spectral in this hour and place; then the sad
cortege passed solemnly through the grey old abbey, the choir
chanting sorrowfully the while, the yellow flare of torches
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne: eastward. I can tell you nothing more, except that, in my
honest opinion, you will never see your daughter again. The
best advice I can give you is, to take up your abode in this
cavern, where we will be the two most wretched women in the
world."
"Not yet, dark Hecate," replied Ceres. "But do you first come
with your torch, and help me to seek for my lost child. And
when there shall be no more hope of finding her (if that black
day is ordained to come), then, if you will give me room to
fling myself down, either on these withered leaves or on the
naked rock, I will show what it is to be miserable. But, until
Tanglewood Tales |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum: gentle, kind-hearted little man, and Dorothy grew to like him afterward.
When, after an absence, the Wizard returned to the Land of Oz, Ozma
received him graciously and gave him a home in a part of the palace.
In addition to the Wizard two other personages from the outside world
had been allowed to make their home in the Emerald City. The first
was a quaint Shaggy Man, whom Ozma had made the Governor of the Royal
Storehouses, and the second a Yellow Hen named Billina, who had a fine
house in the gardens back of the palace, where she looked after a
large family. Both these had been old comrades of Dorothy, so you
see the little girl was quite an important personage in Oz, and the
people thought she had brought them good luck, and loved her next best
The Emerald City of Oz |
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 Cavalry General by Xenophon: Wherein consists the golden mean, will not be hard to find; since
"every man a standard to himself,"[1] applies, and your sensations are
an index to prevent your fellows being overdone through inadvertence.
[1] The phrase is proverbial. Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 183 B.
But now supposing you are on the march in some direction, and it is
uncertain whether you will stumble on the enemy, your duty is to rest
your squadrons in turn; since it will go hard with you, if the enemy
come to close quarters when the whole force is dismounted.[2] Or,
again, suppose the roads are narrow, or you have to cross a defile,
you will pass, by word of mouth, the command to diminish the front;[3]
or given, again, you are debouching on broad roads, again the word of
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