The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: battle.
They had left Ichim only a few hours after the depar-
ture of Michael Strogoff, and they had arrived at Kolyvan
before him, by following the same road, in consequence of
his losing three days on the banks of the Irtych. And
now, after being both present at the engagement between
the Russians and Tartars before the town, they had left
just as the struggle broke out in the streets, and ran to the
telegraph office, so as to send off their rival dispatches to
Europe, and forestall each other in their report of events.
Michael stood aside in the shadow, and without being
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Intentions by Oscar Wilde: is! Piccadilly lies at our feet like a long riband of silver. A
faint purple mist hangs over the Park, and the shadows of the white
houses are purple. It is too late to sleep. Let us go down to
Covent Garden and look at the roses. Come! I am tired of thought.
THE TRUTH OF MASKS - A NOTE ON ILLUSION
In many of the somewhat violent attacks that have recently been
made on that splendour of mounting which now characterises our
Shakespearian revivals in England, it seems to have been tacitly
assumed by the critics that Shakespeare himself was more or less
indifferent to the costumes of his actors, and that, could he see
Mrs. Langtry's production of ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, he would
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