| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Just Folks by Edgar A. Guest: When I dared not travel homewards if my shock of hair was wet,
When I did my brief undressing under fine and friendly trees
In the days before convention rigged us up in b.v.d's.
And I dived for stones and metal on the mill pond's muddy floor,
Then stood naked in the sunshine till my blood grew warm once more.
I was back again, a youngster, in those golden days of old,
When my teeth were wont to chatter and my lips were blue with cold.
The Love of the Game
There is too much of sighing, and weaving
Of pitiful tales of despair.
There is too much of wailing and grieving,
Just Folks |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: even at that distance, and suddenly, awakening to his opportunity,
he began to partly support her, partly carry her in the direction of
her cabin. His head was bent over her solicitously, then
recollecting himself, with a glance full of unwonted fire, his voice
ringing in a note unknown to Mr. Powell, he cried to him, "Don't you
go on deck yet. I want you to stay down here till I come back.
There are some instructions I want to give you."
And before the young man could answer, Anthony had disappeared in
the stern-cabin, burdened and exulting.
"Instructions," commented Mr. Powell. "That was all right. Very
likely; but they would be such instructions as, I thought to myself,
Chance |
