| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: show Baudoyer the routine of the business," he said to himself at
last. "I had better write my resignation now."
He turned to his table and began to write, thinking over each clause
of the letter, which was as follows:--
Monseigneur,--I have the honor to inclose to your Excellency my
resignation. I venture to hope that you still remember hearing me
say that I left my honor in your hands, and that everything, for
me, depended on my being able to give you an immediate
explanation.
This explanation I have vainly sought to give. To-day it would,
perhaps, be useless; for a fragment of my work relating 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 A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: boat was fitly presented to Seumanu; and rings, watches, and money
were lavished on all who had assisted. The Germans also gave money
at the rate (as I receive the tale) of three dollars a head for
every German saved. The obligation was in this instance
incommensurably deep, those with whom they were at war had saved
the German blue-jackets at the venture of their lives; Knappe was,
besides, far from ungenerous; and I can only explain the niggard
figure by supposing it was paid from his own pocket. In one case,
at least, it was refused. "I have saved three Germans," said the
rescuer; "I will make you a present of the three."
The crews of the American and German squadrons were now cast, still
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