| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The War in the Air by H. G. Wells: loud, reassuring, confident tone, "It's bound to come," the
chances were ten to one he was talking of flying. And Bert got a
box lid and wrote out in correct window-ticket style, and Grubb
put in the window this inscription, "Aeroplanes made and
repaired." It quite upset Tom--it seemed taking one's shop so
lightly; but most of the neighbours, and all the sporting ones,
approved of it as being very good indeed.
Everybody talked of flying, everybody repeated over and over
again, "Bound to come," and then you know it didn't come. There
was a hitch. They flew--that was all right; they flew in
machines heavier than air. But they smashed. Sometimes they
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Within the Tides by Joseph Conrad: Renouard made a slight movement of impatience.
"I met him unexpectedly one evening. I thought he would do as well
as another. He had come from up country and didn't seem happy in a
town. He told me his name was Walter. I did not ask him for
proofs, you know."
"I don't think you get on very well with him."
"Why? What makes you think so."
"I don't know. Something reluctant in your manner when he's in
question."
"Really. My manner! I don't think he's a great subject for
conversation, perhaps. Why not drop him?"
Within the Tides |
