The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by H. P. Lovecraft: curious did that archaic city rise above its walls and quays,
all of delicate black with scrolls, flutings, and arabesques of
inlaid gold. Tall and many-windowed were the houses, and carved
on every side with flowers and patterns whose dark symmetries
dazzled the eye with a beauty more poignant than light. Some ended
in swelling domes that tapered to a point, others in terraced
pyramids whereon rose clustered minarets displaying every phase
of strangeness and imagination. The walls were low, and pierced
by frequent gates, each under a great arch rising high above the
general level and capped by the head of a god chiselled with that
same skill displayed in the monstrous face on distant Ngranek.
The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: "I wish they had left some for us then, grannie," retorted
Hobbie; "they've cleared the country o' them, thae auld friends
o' yours, I'm thinking."
"We see other folk can find game, though you cannot, Hobbie,"
said the eldest sister, glancing a look at young Earnscliff.
"Weel, weel, woman, hasna every dog his day, begging Earnscliff's
pardon for the auld saying--Mayna I hae his luck, and he mine,
another time?--It's a braw thing for a man to be out a' day, and
frighted--na, I winna say that neither but mistrysted wi' bogles
in the hame-coming, an' then to hae to flyte wi' a wheen women
that hae been doing naething a' the live-lang day, but whirling a
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