| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from 1492 by Mary Johntson: and I gathered, sitting solicitous at La Rabida, were not in
so fair a posture. He and his household did not lack.
Monies were paid him, though not in full his tithe of all
gains from his finding. What never shook was his title of
The Admiral. But they seemed, the Sovereigns, or at least
King Ferdinand, to look through ``Viceroy'' as though it
were a shade. And in Hispaniola, though charged, reproved,
threatened, still stayed Bobadilla in the guise of Governor!
``They cannot leave him there,'' I said. ``If the Colombos
are not men for the place, what then is Bobadilla?''
Fray Juan Perez stirred the fire. ``King Ferdinand, I
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Songs of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: I linger useless in my tent:
Farewell, fair day, so foully spent!
Farewell, fair day. If any God
At all consider this poor clod,
He who the fair occasion sent
Prepared and placed the impediment.
Let him diviner vengeance take -
Give me to sleep, give me to wake
Girded and shod, and bid me play
The hero in the coming day!
XXV - IF THIS WERE FAITH
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