| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling: He hid his face and said, "Assez, Mademoiselle! C'est plus fort que
moi! Assez!" And Sir Arthur blew his nose and said, "Good Ged!
This is worse than Assaye!" While Dad sat with the tears simply
running down his cheeks.'
'And what did Doctor Break do?'
'He got up and pretended to look out of the window, but I saw
his little fat shoulders jerk as if he had the hiccoughs. That was a
triumph. I never suspected him of sensibility.'
'Oh, I wish I'd seen! I wish I'd been you,'said Una, clasping her
hands. Puck rustled and rose from the fern, just as a big blundering
cock-chafer flew smack against Una's cheek.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad: in the contemplation of your high fortunes, of your triumphs, of
your happiness. For that I bore patiently the burden of work, of
disappointment, of humiliation amongst these savages here, and I
had it all nearly in my grasp."
He looked at his daughter's attentive face and jumped to his feet
upsetting the chair.
"Do you hear? I had it all there; so; within reach of my hand."
He paused, trying to keep down his rising anger, and failed.
"Have you no feeling?" he went on. "Have you lived without
hope?" Nina's silence exasperated him; his voice rose, although
he tried to master his feelings.
 Almayer's Folly |