| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Mirror of the Sea by Joseph Conrad: The squall came over at last. Our pursuer, overtaken by a sort of
murky whirlwind, disappeared from our sight. The Tremolino
quivered and bounded forward. The land ahead vanished, too, and we
seemed to be left alone in a world of water and wind.
"PRENEZ LA BARRE, MONSIEUR," Dominic broke the silence suddenly in
an austere voice. "Take hold of the tiller." He bent his hood to
my ear. "The balancelle is yours. Your own hands must deal the
blow. I - I have yet another piece of work to do." He spoke up
loudly to the man who steered. "Let the signorino take the tiller,
and you with the others stand by to haul the boat alongside quickly
at the word."
The Mirror of the Sea |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Message by Honore de Balzac: against the other. I buttoned my coat carefully so as to exhibit
the inner, always the least worn, side of the cloth, and finally
had turned down the tops of my trousers over my boots,
artistically cleaned in the grass. Thanks to this Gascon toilet,
I could hope that the lady would not take me for the local rate
collector; but now when my thoughts travel back to that episode
of my youth, I sometimes laugh at my own expense.
Suddenly, just as I was composing myself, at a turning in the
green walk, among a wilderness of flowers lighted up by a hot ray
of sunlight, I saw Juliette--Juliette and her husband. The pretty
little girl held her mother by the hand, and it was easy to see
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