| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: "It is unnecessary for you to understand. Hold," continued
D'Artagnan, turning toward the door, which had just opened,
"here is Monsieur du Vallon, who comes with his coat torn."
"Yes, but in exchange," said Porthos, covered with
perspiration and soiled by dust, "in exchange, I have torn
many skins. Those wretches wanted to take away my sword!
Deuce take 'em, what a popular commotion!" continued the
giant, in his quiet manner; "but I knocked down more than
twenty with the hilt of Balizarde. A draught of wine,
D'Artagnan."
"Oh" I'll aswer for you," said the Gascon, filling Porthos's
 Twenty Years After |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: to anticipate the arrival of the next attack.
In that case the cylinder might be destroyed with dyna-
mite or artillery before it was sufficiently cool for the Mar-
tians to emerge, or they might be butchered by means of
guns so soon as the screw opened. It seems to me that they
have lost a vast advantage in the failure of their first
surprise. Possibly they see it in the same light.
Lessing has advanced excellent reasons for supposing that
the Martians have actually succeeded in effecting a landing
on the planet Venus. Seven months ago now, Venus and
Mars were in alignment with the sun; that is to say, Mars
 War of the Worlds |