| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War and the Future by H. G. Wells: Germany would force the world into war. It was a thing too silly
to be believed. But they came--to their certain fate. In the
month after I returned from France and Italy, no less than four
of these fatuities were exploded and destroyed within thirty
miles of my Essex home.... There in chosen phrases you have the
truth about these things. But now mark the perversion of thought
due to spectacular effect.
I find over the Essex countryside, which has been for more than a
year and a half a highway for Zeppelins, a new and curious
admiration for them that has arisen out of these very disasters.
Previously they were regarded with dislike and a sort of
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson: The blood ran backward in his body and his joints rebelled against
him for the love he bore his father; but he heaved up the sword,
and plunged it in the heart of the appearance; and the appearance
cried out aloud with the voice of his father; and fell to the
ground; and a little bloodless white thing fled from the room.
The cry rang in Jack's ears, and his soul was darkened; but now
rage came to him. "I have done what I dare not think upon," said
he. "I will go to an end with it, or perish. And when I get home,
I pray God this may be a dream, and I may find my father dancing."
So he went on after the bloodless thing that had escaped; and in
the way he met the appearance of his mother, and she wept. "What
|