| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Dawn O'Hara, The Girl Who Laughed by Edna Ferber: rigger t' hand out last messages, ain't it?"
The nurse looked at me, doubtfully. "But you're not
to excite yourself."
"Sa-a-ay, girl, this ain't goin' t' be no scene from
East Lynne. Be a good kid. The rest of the bunch can
go."
And so, when the others had gone, I found myself
seated at the side of his bed, trying to smile down at
him. I knew that there must be nothing to excite him.
But the words on my lips would come.
"Blackie," I said, and I struggled to keep my voice
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Jolly Corner by Henry James: simpleton playing at hide-and-seek. Outside in fact he might
himself make that ironic RAPPROCHEMENT; but within the walls, and
in spite of the clear windows, his consistency was proof against
the cynical light of New York.
It had belonged to that idea of the exasperated consciousness of
his victim to become a real test for him; since he had quite put it
to himself from the first that, oh distinctly! he could "cultivate"
his whole perception. He had felt it as above all open to
cultivation - which indeed was but another name for his manner of
spending his time. He was bringing it on, bringing it to
perfection, by practice; in consequence of which it had grown so
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