| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: smooth turf, very pleasant to the feet, set with tall fir-trees and
clamorous with rooks making ready for the winter, and so back again
into the quiet road. I was now not far from the end of my day's
journey. A few hundred yards farther, and, passing through a gap in
the hedge, I began to go down hill through a pretty extensive tract
of young beeches. I was soon in shadow myself, but the afternoon sun
still coloured the upmost boughs of the wood, and made a fire over my
head in the autumnal foliage. A little faint vapour lay among the
slim tree-stems in the bottom of the hollow; and from farther up I
heard from time to time an outburst of gross laughter, as though
clowns were making merry in the bush. There was something about the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: must of course flow from her wise lips in their parting
conference in her closet. Cautions against the violence
of such noblemen and baronets as delight in forcing
young ladies away to some remote farm-house, must,
at such a moment, relieve the fulness of her heart.
Who would not think so? But Mrs. Morland knew so little
of lords and baronets, that she entertained no notion of
their general mischievousness, and was wholly unsuspicious
of danger to her daughter from their machinations.
Her cautions were confined to the following points.
"I beg, Catherine, you will always wrap yourself up
Northanger Abbey |
