| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Intentions by Oscar Wilde: the veil be torn. His sole aim is to chronicle his own
impressions. It is for him that pictures are painted, books
written, and marble hewn into form.
ERNEST. I seem to have heard another theory of Criticism.
GILBERT. Yes: it has been said by one whose gracious memory we
all revere, and the music of whose pipe once lured Proserpina from
her Sicilian fields, and made those white feet stir, and not in
vain, the Cumnor cowslips, that the proper aim of Criticism is to
see the object as in itself it really is. But this is a very
serious error, and takes no cognisance of Criticism's most perfect
form, which is in its essence purely subjective, and seeks to
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson: rubbed him where and how he bade her. 'This is a cruel thing
that old age should be rheumaticky,' said he. 'When I was
young I stood my turn of the teethache like a man! for why?
because it couldn't last for ever; but these rheumatics come
to live and die with you. Your aunt was took before the time
came; never had an ache to mention. Now I lie all night in
my single bed and the blood never warms in me; this knee of
mine it seems like lighted up with rheumatics; it seems as
though you could see to sew by it; and all the strings of my
old body ache, as if devils was pulling 'em. Thank you
kindly; that's someways easier now, but an old man, my dear,
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