| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Europeans by Henry James: "And being a fool you made my acquaintance? You are very complimentary."
"Let me keep it up," said Acton, laughing. "I hope, for our pleasure,
that your brother's marriage will detain you."
"Why should I stop for my brother's marriage when I would not stop
for my own?" asked the Baroness.
"Why should n't you stop in either case, now that, as you say,
you have dissolved that mechanical tie that bound you to Europe?"
The Baroness looked at him a moment. "As I say?
You look as if you doubted it."
"Ah," said Acton, returning her glance, "that is a remnant of my old folly!
We have other attractions," he added. "We are to have another marriage."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Iliad by Homer: with their darts. Now and again he would turn and show fight,
keeping back the battalions of the Trojans, and then he would
again retreat; but he prevented any of them from making his way
to the ships. Single-handed he stood midway between the Trojans
and Achaeans: the spears that sped from their hands stuck some of
them in his mighty shield, while many, though thirsting for his
blood, fell to the ground ere they could reach him to the
wounding of his fair flesh.
Now when Eurypylus the brave son of Euaemon saw that Ajax was
being overpowered by the rain of arrows, he went up to him and
hurled his spear. He struck Apisaon son of Phausius in the liver
The Iliad |
