The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: and recommend themselves to their prayers. And then they give the
pilgrims of their victuals for to pass with the deserts toward
Syria. And those deserts dure well a thirteen journeys.
In that desert dwell many of Arabians, that men clepe Bedouins and
Ascopards, and they be folk full of all evil conditions. And they
have none houses, but tents, that they make of skins of beasts, as
of camels and of other beasts that they eat; and there beneath
these they couch them and dwell in place where they may find water,
as on the Red Sea or elsewhere: for in that desert is full great
default of water, and often-time it falleth that where men find
water at one time in a place it faileth another time; and for that
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lady Baltimore by Owen Wister: and the genuinely hearty protestations from all the rest brought merely
pleasantly firm politeness from John, as he put on again the coat he had
flung off on jumping. At least he would take a drink, urged Charley. Yes,
thank you, he would; and he chose brandy-and-soda, of which he poured
himself a remarkably stiff one. Charley and I poured ourselves milder
ones, for the sake of company.
"Here's how," said Charley to John.
"Yes, here's how," I added more emphatically.
John looked at Charley with a somewhat extraordinary smile. "Here's
unquestionably how!" he exclaimed.
We had a gay lunch; I should have supposed there was plenty of room in
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