| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Madame Firmiani by Honore de Balzac: pour, soulless or full of feeling, handsome or plain,--in short, there
were as many Madame Firmianis as there are species in society, or
sects in Catholicism. Frightful reflection! we are all like
lithographic blocks, from which an indefinite number of copies can be
drawn by criticism,--the proofs being more or less like us according
to a distribution of shading which is so nearly imperceptible that our
reputation depends (barring the calumnies of friends and the
witticisms of newspapers) on the balance struck by our criticisers
between Truth that limps and Falsehood to which Parisian wit gives
wings.
Madame Firmiani, like other noble and dignified women who make their
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Poor and Proud by Oliver Optic: "I was thinking of a plan," continued Mrs. Redburn, "though I
don't know as it would work well."
"Anything would work better than this being constantly cheated;
for it is really worse for the girls than it is for us. I have
often felt that those who cheat us are the real sufferers. I
would a good deal rather be cheated than cheat myself."
"You are right, Katy; and that is a Christian view of the
subject. I suppose we are in duty bound to keep these girls as
honest as we can."
"What is your plan, mother?" asked Katy.
"We will sell them the candy, instead of employing them to sell
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