The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes: listen to and criticize.
One day, after dinner, he came in with his face tied up, looking
very red in the cheeks and heavy about the eyes. - Hy'r'ye? - he
said, and made for an arm-chair, in which he placed first his hat
and then his person, going smack through the crown of the former as
neatly as they do the trick at the circus. The Professor jumped at
the explosion as if he had sat down on one of those small CALTHROPS
our grandfathers used to sow round in the grass when there were
Indians about, - iron stars, each ray a rusty thorn an inch and a
half long, - stick through moccasins into feet, - cripple 'em on
the spot, and give 'em lockjaw in a day or two.
 The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: "Fin du globe," answered his hostess.
"I wish it were fin du globe," said Dorian with a sigh.
"Life is a great disappointment."
"Ah, my dear," cried Lady Narborough, putting on her gloves,
"don't tell me that you have exhausted life. When a man says that
one knows that life has exhausted him. Lord Henry is very wicked,
and I sometimes wish that I had been; but you are made to be good--
you look so good. I must find you a nice wife. Lord Henry, don't you
think that Mr. Gray should get married?"
"I am always telling him so, Lady Narborough," said Lord Henry with a bow.
"Well, we must look out for a suitable match for him.
 The Picture of Dorian Gray |