| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates by Howard Pyle: smoke, the pirate and his men boarded the other sloop, and then
followed a fine old-fashioned hand-to-hand conflict betwixt him
and the lieutenant. First they fired their pistols, and then they
took to it with cutlasses--right, left, up and down, cut and
slash--until the lieutenant's cutlass broke short off at the
hilt. Then Blackbeard would have finished him off handsomely,
only up steps one of the lieutenant's men and fetches him a great
slash over the neck, so that the lieutenant came off with no more
hurt than a cut across the knuckles.
At the very first discharge of their pistols Blackbeard had been
shot through the body, but he was not for giving up for that--not
 Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Koran: is imminent; and if I be brought back to my Lord, verily, I shall
surely have good with Him;' but we will inform those who misbelieve of
what they have done, and we will surely make them taste wretched
torment.
And when we have been gracious to man, he turns away and goes aside;
but when evil touches him he is one of copious prayer.
Say, 'Let us see now! if it be from God and ye disbelieve in it, who
is more in error than he who is in a remote schism?'
We will show them our signs in the regions and in themselves,
until it is plain to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough for
thy Lord that He is witness over all? Ay, verily, they are in doubt
 The Koran |