| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Enchanted Island of Yew by L. Frank Baum: be one of the huge giants of Spor; and others claimed he was a dwarf,
like his tiny but ferocious dart-slingers; and still others imagined
him one of the barbarian tribe, or a fellow to the terrible Gray Men.
But, of course, no one knew positively, and all these guesses were
very wide of the mark. The only certainty about this king was that
his giants, dwarfs, barbarians and Gray Men meekly acknowledged his
rule and obeyed his slightest wish; for though they might be terrible
to others, their king was still more terrible to them.
Into this Kingdom of Spor Prince Marvel and Nerle had now penetrated
and, neither knowing nor caring where they were, continued along the
faintly defined paths the horses had found. Presently, however, they
The Enchanted Island of Yew |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: and I resolved not to go out all day. About two there was a ring,
and Prudence entered.
I tried to assume an indifferent air as I asked her what had
brought her; but that day Mme. Duvernoy was not in a laughing
humour, and in a really moved voice she said to me that since my
return, that is to say for about three weeks, I had left no
occasion untried which could give pain to Marguerite, that she
was completely upset by it, and that the scene of last night and
my angry letter of the morning had forced her to take to her bed.
In short, without making any reproach, Marguerite sent to ask me
for a little pity, since she had no longer the moral or physical
Camille |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare: How far a modern quill doth come too short,
Speaking of worth, what worth in you doth grow.
This silence for my sin you did impute,
Which shall be most my glory being dumb;
For I impair not beauty being mute,
When others would give life, and bring a tomb.
There lives more life in one of your fair eyes
Than both your poets can in praise devise.
LXXXIV
Who is it that says most, which can say more,
Than this rich praise,--that you alone, are you?
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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 Danny's Own Story by Don Marquis: and so Doctor Jackson has got rich at it. So rich
he can afford to keep that there personal circus
menagerie in his back yard, for his little boy to
play with, and many other interesting things. He
must be worth two, three million dollars, Doctor
Kirby says, and still a-making it, with more niggers
growing up all the time fur to have their hair un-
kinked. Especially mulattoes and yaller niggers.
Doctor Kirby says thinking what a great idea that
Anti-Curl was give him his own great idea. They
is a gold mine there, he says, and Dr. Julius Jackson
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