| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Illustrious Gaudissart by Honore de Balzac: beginning to shoot up; I am proud of Vico. Now, here we enter upon the
new theory and formula of humanity. Attention, if you please."
"Attention!" said the fool, falling into position.
"Man's spoliation of man--by which I mean bodies of men living upon
the labor of other men--ought to have ceased with the coming of
Christ, I say CHRIST, who was sent to proclaim the equality of man in
the sight of God. But what is the fact? Equality up to our day has
been an 'ignus fatuus,' a chimera. Saint-Simon has arisen as the
complement of Christ; as the modern exponent of the doctrine of
equality, or rather of its practice, for theory has served its time--"
"Is he liberated?" asked the lunatic.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: My grandsire gied Sandie a siller tester to pit in his gun wi' the leid
draps, bein mair deidly again bogles. And then the as boat set aff for
North Berwick, an' the tither lay whaur it was and watched the
wanchancy thing on the brae-side.
A' the time we lay there it lowped and flang and capered and span like
a teetotum, and whiles we could hear it skelloch as it span. I hae
seen lassies, the daft queans, that would lowp and dance a winter's
nicht, and still be lowping and dancing when the winter's day cam in.
But there would be fowk there to hauld them company, and the lads to
egg them on; and this thing was its lee-lane. And there would be a
fiddler diddling his elbock in the chimney-side; and this thing had nae
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