| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Philebus by Plato: like to have a clearer notion of what you are saying.
SOCRATES: I may illustrate my meaning by the letters of the alphabet,
Protarchus, which you were made to learn as a child.
PROTARCHUS: How do they afford an illustration?
SOCRATES: The sound which passes through the lips whether of an individual
or of all men is one and yet infinite.
PROTARCHUS: Very true.
SOCRATES: And yet not by knowing either that sound is one or that sound is
infinite are we perfect in the art of speech, but the knowledge of the
number and nature of sounds is what makes a man a grammarian.
PROTARCHUS: Very true.
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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 American by Henry James: pocket-handkerchief. By this time Newman was abreast of the baignoire;
the door had been left ajar, and he could see a pink dress inside.
He immediately went in. Mademoiselle Nioche turned and greeted him
with a brilliant smile.
"Ah, you have at last decided to come and see me?" she exclaimed.
"You just save your politeness. You find me in a fine moment.
Sit down." There was a very becoming little flush in her cheek,
and her eye had a noticeable spark. You would have said that she
had received some very good news.
"Something has happened here!" said Newman, without sitting down.
"You find me in a very fine moment," she repeated. "Two gentlemen--
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