| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: These two lectures are fragmentary and ill-arranged, but not, I
think, diffuse or much compressible. The entire gist and conclusion
of them, however, is in the last six paragraphs of the third
lecture, which I would beg the reader to look over not once nor
twice, (rather than any other part of the book,) for they contain
the best expression I have yet been able to put in words of what, so
far as is within my power, I mean henceforward both to do myself,
and to plead with all over whom I have any influence, to do also
according to their means: the letters begun on the first day of
this year, to the workmen of England, having the object of
originating, if possible, this movement among them, in true alliance
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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 Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: While they were thus conversing, the Frogman joined them and looked
down at the plain with his big eyes and seemed unusually thoughtful.
In fact, the Frogman was thinking that he'd like to see more of the
world. Here in the Yip Country he had become the most important
creature of them all, and his importance was getting to be a little
tame. It would be nice to have other people defer to him and ask his
advice, and there seemed no reason so far as he could see why his fame
should not spread throughout all Oz. He knew nothing of the rest of
the world, but it was reasonable to believe that there were more
people beyond the mountain where he now lived than there were Yips,
and if he went among them he could surprise them with his display of
The Lost Princess of Oz |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: "By God, if y'u dare to say--"
"I don't dare. especially among so many ladies," came
McWilliams's jaunty answer.
The eyes of the two men gripped, after which Holloway swung on
his heel and swaggered defiantly out of the house.
Presently there came the sound of a pony's feet galloping down
the road. It had not yet died away when Texas announced that the
supper intermission was over.
"Pardners for a quadrille. Ladies' choice."
The dance was on again full swing. The fiddlers were tuning up
and couples gathering for a quadrille. Denver came to claim Miss
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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 Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: and there was something in his jaw and the motion of his head
that made one think he was very determined in anything he set about.
His voice was pleasant and kind; any horse would trust that voice,
though it was just as decided as everything else about him.
One day he and another gentleman took our cab; they stopped at a shop
in R---- Street, and while his friend went in he stood at the door.
A little ahead of us on the other side of the street
a cart with two very fine horses was standing before some wine vaults;
the carter was not with them, and I cannot tell how long
they had been standing, but they seemed to think they had waited long enough,
and began to move off. Before they had gone many paces
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