| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy: supposing night should have closed in, and nobody else
is going that way?"
One or two promised; and Christian, diverging from his
direct path, turned round to the right with his companions
towards the Quiet Woman.
When they entered the large common room of the inn
they found assembled there about ten men from among
the neighbouring population, and the group was
increased by the new contingent to double that number.
Most of them were sitting round the room in seats divided
by wooden elbows like those of crude cathedral stalls,
Return of the Native |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner: elbow-chair, with her lover on a chair close beside her, and when the vigil
of the night was fairly begun, she began to find it wearisome. The young
man looked chilly, and said nothing.
"Won't you put your feet on my stove?" said Tant Sannie.
"No thank you, aunt," said the young man, and both lapsed into silence.
At last Tant Sannie, afraid of going to sleep, tapped a strong cup of
coffee for herself and handed another to her lover. This visibly revived
both.
"How long were you married, cousin?"
"Ten months, aunt."
"How old was your baby?"
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