| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Beast in the Jungle by Henry James: Bartram's now finding herself able to set up a small home in
London. She had acquired property, to an amount that made that
luxury just possible, under her aunt's extremely complicated will,
and when the whole matter began to be straightened out, which
indeed took time, she let him know that the happy issue was at last
in view. He had seen her again before that day, both because she
had more than once accompanied the ancient lady to town and because
he had paid another visit to the friends who so conveniently made
of Weatherend one of the charms of their own hospitality. These
friends had taken him back there; he had achieved there again with
Mss Bartram some quiet detachment; and he had in London succeeded
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: before he came to live with them, that many grew unhappy and
discontented, and they who had before wished no greater joy than
the love and praise of their kind Queen, now disobeyed and blamed her
for all she had done for them.
Long she bore with their unkind words and deeds; and when at length
she found it was the ungrateful Fairy who had wrought this trouble in
her quiet kingdom, she strove, with sweet, forgiving words, to show
him all the wrong he had done; but he would not listen, and still went
on destroying the happiness of those who had done so much for him.
Then, when she saw that no kindness could touch his heart, she said:--
"Thistledown, we took you in, a friendless stranger, fed and clothed
 Flower Fables |