| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: to him sat the Gnome King, whose people inhabit all that region under
the earth's surface, where they guard the precious metals and the
jewel stones that lie buried in rock and ore. At his right hand stood
the King of the Sound Imps, who had wings on his feet, for his people
are swift to carry all sounds that are made. When they are busy they
carry the sounds but short distances, for there are many of them; but
sometimes they speed with the sounds to places miles and miles away
from where they are made. The King of the Sound Imps had an anxious
and careworn face, for most people have no consideration for his Imps
and, especially the boys and girls, make a great many unnecessary sounds
which the Imps are obliged to carry when they might be better employed.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Several Works by Edgar Allan Poe: individuals in the crowd who had found leisure to become aware of
the presence of a masked figure which had arrested the
attention of no single individual before. And the rumour of this
new presence having spread itself whisperingly around, there arose
at length from the whole company a buzz, or murmur, expressive of
disapprobation and surprise--then, finally, of terror, of horror,
and of disgust.
In an assembly of phantasms such as I have painted, it may
well be supposed that no ordinary appearance could have excited
such sensation. In truth the masquerade licence of the night was
nearly unlimited; but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herod,
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