| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Ursula by Honore de Balzac: sure of his facts.
The two physicians entered a suite of rooms that were more than
modest. Bouvard went alone into a bedroom which adjoined the salon
where he left Minoret, whose distrust was instantly awakened; but
Bouvard returned at once and took him into the bedroom, where he saw
the mysterious Swedenborgian, and also a woman sitting in an armchair.
The woman did not rise, and seemed not to notice the entrance of the
two old men.
"What! no tub?" cried Minoret, smiling.
"Nothing but the power of God," answered the Swedenborgian gravely. He
seemed to Minoret to be about fifty years of age.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: Haec eodem tempore Caesari mandata referebantur et legati ab Haeduis
et a Treveris veniebant: Haedui questum quod Harudes, qui nuper in
Galliam transportati essent, fines eorum popularentur: sese ne obsidibus
quidem datis pacem Ariovisti redimere potuisse; Treveri autem, pagos
centum Sueborum ad ripas Rheni consedisse, qui Rhemum transire conarentur;
his praeesse Nasuam et Cimberium fratres. Quibus rebus Caesar vehementer
commotus maturandum sibi existimavit, ne, si nova manus Sueborum cum
veteribus copiis Ariovisti sese coniunxisset, minus facile resisti posset.
Itaque re frumentaria quam celerrime potuit comparata magnis itineribus
ad Ariovistum contendit.
Cum tridui viam processisset, nuntiatum est ei Ariovistum cum suis
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