| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: are getting discussed,--that sort of political talent for which
the English races are distinguished, and to the lack of which so
many of the political failures of the French are egregiously due.
One would suppose that a judicature of the whole town would be
likely to execute a sorry parody of justice; yet justice was by
no means ill-administered at Athens. Even the most unfortunate
and disgraceful scenes,--as where the proposed massacre of the
Mytilenaians was discussed, and where summary retribution was
dealt out to the generals who had neglected their duty at
Arginusai,--even these scenes furnish, when thoroughly examined,
as by Mr. Grote, only the more convincing proof that the Athenian
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis: through strike-breaking girls, danced helplessly. Every truck that made its
way from the factories to the freight-stations was guarded by a policeman,
trying to look stoical beside the scab driver. A line of fifty trucks from the
Zenith Steel and Machinery Company was attacked by strikers-rushing out from
the sidewalk, pulling drivers from the seats, smashing carburetors and
commutators, while telephone girls cheered from the walk, and small boys
heaved bricks.
The National Guard was ordered out. Colonel Nixon, who in private life was
Mr. Caleb Nixon, secretary of the Pullmore Tractor Company, put on a long
khaki coat and stalked through crowds, a .44 automatic in hand. Even Babbitt's
friend, Clarence Drum the shoe merchant--a round and merry man who told
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