The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Christ in Flanders by Honore de Balzac: hadst brought all things beneath thy feet, and set thy foot on the
necks of princes; when earthly dominion, and wealth, and the mind of
man bore thy yoke? Exulting in the abasement of humanity, joying to
witness the uttermost lengths to which man's folly would go, thou hast
bidden thy lovers walk on all fours, and required of them their lands
and wealth, nay, even their wives if they were worth aught to thee.
Thou hast devoured millions of men without a cause; thou hast flung
away lives like sand blown by the wind from West to East. Thou hast
come down from the heights of thought to sit among the kings of men.
Woman! instead of comforting men, thou hast tormented and afflicted
them! Knowing that thou couldst ask and have, thou hast demanded--
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: to be gone to the spot where we have her hidden
that I may fetch her in secrecy to Dusar. None is to
know that she has ever been in the keeping of a Dusarian.
I do not need to tell you what would befall Dusar should
Ptarth and Helium and Kaol ever learn the truth."
The jaws of the listener at the ventilator clicked
together with a vicious snap. Before he had but guessed
at the identity of the subject of this conversation. Now
he knew. And they were to kill her! His muscular fingers
clenched until the nails bit into the palms.
"And you wish me to go with you while you fetch
 Thuvia, Maid of Mars |