| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: the altar of Mumbo-Jumbo, might impress ourselves not much
otherwise. And the firm which does these things is quite
extraneous, a wen that might be excised to-morrow without loss but
to itself; few natives drawing from it so much as day's wages; and
the rest beholding in it only the occupier of their acres. The
nearest villages have suffered most; they see over the hedge the
lands of their ancestors waving with useless cocoa-palms; and the
sales were often questionable, and must still more often appear so
to regretful natives, spinning and improving yarns about the
evening lamp. At the worst, then, to help oneself from the
plantation will seem to a Samoan very like orchard-breaking to the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Off on a Comet by Jules Verne: his exertions, he said, "The old reprobate, the rascal has cheated us!
His steelyard is wrong! He is a thief!"
Captain Servadac looked sternly at Hakkabut.
"How is this, Hakkabut? Is this a fact?"
"No, no--yes--no, your Excellency, only--"
"He is a cheat, a thief!" roared the excited astronomer.
"His weights deceive!"
"Stop, stop!" interposed Servadac; "let us hear.
Tell me, Hakkabut--"
"The steelyard lies! It cheats! it lies!" roared the irrepressible Rosette.
"Tell me, Hakkabut, I say," repeated Servadac.
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