| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Moby Dick by Herman Melville: CHAPTER 106
Ahab's Leg.
The precipitating manner in which Captain Ahab had quitted the Samuel
Enderby of London, had not been unattended with some small violence
to his own person. He had lighted with such energy upon a thwart of
his boat that his ivory leg had received a half-splintering shock.
And when after gaining his own deck, and his own pivot-hole there, he
so vehemently wheeled round with an urgent command to the steersman
(it was, as ever, something about his not steering inflexibly
enough); then, the already shaken ivory received such an additional
twist and wrench, that though it still remained entire, and to all
Moby Dick |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini: himself down again with a curse and a groan, and thought no more of
the salvation that might lie for him that way.
The morning of that last day of May found him pale and limp and all
a-tremble. He rose betimes and dressed, but stirred not from his
chamber till in the garden under his window he heard his sister's
voice, and that of Diana Horton, joined anon by a man's deeper tones,
which he recognized with a start as Blake's. What did the baronet
here so early? Assuredly it must concern the impending duel. Richard
knew no mawkishness on the score of eavesdropping. He stole to his
window and lent an ear, hut the voices were receding, and to his
vexation he caught nothing of what was said. He wondered how soon
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