| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving: unfailing consideration shown him by the Crown Prosecutor seems
almost excessive. From the first moment of the trial Butler was
fully alive to the necessities of his situation. He refrained
from including in his challenges of the jury the gentleman who
was afterwards foreman; he knew he was all right, he said,
because he parted his hair in the middle, a "softy," in fact. He
did not know in all probability that one gentleman on the jury
had a rooted conviction that the murder of the Dewars was the
work of a criminal lunatic. There was certainly nothing in
Butler's demeanour or behaviour to suggest homicidal mania.
The case against Butler rested on purely circumstantial evidence.
A Book of Remarkable Criminals |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: know, Andie?" says I, with a smile, "I think it was very wisely
chosen,"
"The truth is I have nae goo for Neil," says Andie, "nor he for me, I'm
thinking; and I would like ill to come to my hands wi' the man. Tam
Anster will make a better hand of it with the cattle onyway." (For
this man, Anster, came from Fife, where the Gaelic is still spoken.)
"Ay, ay!" says Andie, "Tam'll can deal with them the best. And troth!
the mair I think of it, the less I see we would be required. The place
- ay, feggs! they had forgot the place. Eh, Shaws, ye're a lang-heided
chield when ye like! Forby that I'm awing ye my life," he added, with
more solemnity, and offered me his hand upon the bargain.
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