| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: of time. These facts seem to be very perplexing, for they seem to show
that this kind of variability is independent of the conditions of life. I
am inclined to suspect that we see in these polymorphic genera variations
in points of structure which are of no service or disservice to the
species, and which consequently have not been seized on and rendered
definite by natural selection, as hereafter will be explained.
Those forms which possess in some considerable degree the character of
species, but which are so closely similar to some other forms, or are so
closely linked to them by intermediate gradations, that naturalists do not
like to rank them as distinct species, are in several respects the most
important for us. We have every reason to believe that many of these
On the Origin of Species |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Stories From the Old Attic by Robert Harris: The first young lady, naturally concerned for her safety and
realizing that she possessed knowledge that her young man did not,
quite reasonably chose to change the tire. However, the young man,
fool that he was, was never seen escorting this capable and logical
young lady again.
The second young lady, very sensibly concerned about preserving an
expensive dress and realizing that she would be of little or no help
to her young man, showed a similar wisdom in avoiding what she knew
would be the consequences of leaving the car. But, even though her
judgment was vindicated when she observed, in the form of the
drenched, muddy, and bleeding young man, exactly those consequences
|
