| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: gain the victory over the former.
Eryxias glanced at the audience, laughing and blushing at once, as if he
had had nothing to do with what had just been said, and replied,--No,
indeed, Socrates, I never supposed that our arguments should be of a kind
which would never convince any one of those here present or be of advantage
to them. For what man of sense could ever be persuaded that the wisest and
the richest are the same? The truth is that we are discussing the subject
of riches, and my notion is that we should argue respecting the honest and
dishonest means of acquiring them, and, generally, whether they are a good
thing or a bad.
Very good, I said, and I am obliged to you for the hint: in future we will
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: about the eleven men left upon the beacon. Directions were
accordingly given that everything about the vessel should be
put in the best possible state, to present as little
resistance to the wind as possible, that she might have the
better chance of riding out the gale. Among these
preparations the best bower cable was bent, so as to have a
second anchor in readiness in case the mooring-hawser should
give way, that every means might be used for keeping the
vessel within sight of the prisoners on the beacon, and
thereby keep them in as good spirits as possible. From the
same motive the boats were kept afloat that they might be less
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