| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Red Inn by Honore de Balzac: mixed with white and faced with red velvet, their sabres, and above
all their hats covered with a green varnished-cloth and adorned with a
tricolor plume, even the German peasants had recognized army surgeons,
a body of men of science and merit liked, for the most part, not only
in our own army but also in the countries invaded by our troops. At
this period many sons of good families taken from their medical
studies by the recent conscription law due to General Jourdan, had
naturally preferred to continue their studies on the battle-field
rather than be restricted to mere military duty, little in keeping
with their early education and their peaceful destinies. Men of
science, pacific yet useful, these young men did an actual good in 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 Confidence by Henry James: She herself was incapable of being rude or ungracious, and now that she
was fairly confronted with the plausible object of her mistrust,
she composed herself to her usual attitude of refined liberality.
Her book was a volume of Victor Cousin.
"You must have an extraordinary power of abstracting your mind,"
Bernard said to her, observing it. "Studying philosophy at the Baden
Kursaal strikes me as a real intellectual feat."
"Don't you think we need a little philosophy here?"
"By all means--what we bring with us. But I should n't attempt
the use of the text-book on the spot."
"You should n't speak of yourself as if you were not clever,"
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