The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum: stone passage they kept close together, not knowing
what danger was likely to befall them.
Suddenly a soft glow enveloped them. It grew
brighter, until they could see their surroundings
distinctly. They had reached the end of the passage and
before them was another huge door. This noiselessly
swung open before them, without the help of anyone, and
through the doorway they observed a big chamber, the
walls of which were lined with plates of pure gold,
highly polished.
This room was also lighted, although they could
 The Tin Woodman of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Daughter of Eve by Honore de Balzac: wit, which are written expressly for actors and actresses. Between
them, they had invented Florine, an actress now in vogue.
Humiliated by this association, which was that of the Siamese twins,
Nathan had produced alone, at the Theatre-Francais, a serious drama,
which fell with all the honors of war amid salvos of thundering
articles. In his youth he had once before appeared at the great and
noble Theatre-Francais in a splendid romantic play of the style of
"Pinto,"--a period when the classic reigned supreme. The Odeon was so
violently agitated for three nights that the play was forbidden by the
censor. This second piece was considered by many a masterpiece, and
won him more real reputation than all his productive little pieces
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