| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Moran of the Lady Letty by Frank Norris: table-board; but I'm no such dirt as you. When our men left the
schooner they brought off with them a good share of our
provisions. I'll leave them here for you--and there's plenty of
turtle and abalone to be had for the catching. Some of the
American men-of-war, I believe, come down to this bay for target-
practice twice a year, and if we speak any on the way up we'll ask
them to call here for castaways. That's what I'll do for you, and
that's all! If you don't like it, you can set out to march up the
coast till you hit a town; but I wouldn't advise you to try it.
Now what have you got to say?"
Hoang was silent. His queue had become unbound for half its
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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 Koran: mercy from ourselves, and had taught him knowledge from before us.
Said Moses to him, 'Shall I follow thee, so that thou mayest teach me,
from what thou hast been taught, the right way?' said he, 'Verily,
thou canst never have patience with me. How canst thou be patient in
what thou comprehendest no knowledge of?' He said, 'Thou wilt find me,
if God will, patient; nor will I rebel against thy bidding.' He
said, 'Then, if thou followest me, ask me not about anything until I
begin for them the mention of it.'
So they set out until when they rode in the bark, he scuttled it.
Said he, 'Hast thou scuttled it to drown its crew? Thou hast
produced a strange thing.'
The Koran |
