| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lady Baltimore by Owen Wister: store of quotations, of the strict discipline on board the well-appointed
Hermana, of the great beauty of Hortense, and her evident happiness when
her lover was by her side. This talk of mine turned off any curiosity or
suspicion which the rest of the company may have begun to entertain; but
upon Juno I think it made scant impression, save causing her to set me
down as an imbecile. For there was Doctor Beaugarcon when we came into
the sitting-room, who told us before any one could even say
"How-do-you-do," that Miss Hortense Rieppe had broken her engagement with
John Mayrant, and that he had it from Mrs. Cornerly, whom he was visiting
professionally. I caught the pitying look which Juno threw at me at this
news, and I was happy to have acquitted myself so creditably in the
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: I could no longer hold myself back, but ran to the seaside and
out, from one rock to another, as far as I could go. It is a
marvel I was not drowned; for when I was brought to a stand at
last, my legs shook under me, and my mouth was so dry, I must wet
it with the sea-water before I was able to shout.
All this time the boat was coming on; and now I was able to
perceive it was the same boat and the same two men as yesterday.
This I knew by their hair, which the one had of a bright yellow
and the other black. But now there was a third man along with
them, who looked to be of a better class.
As soon as they were come within easy speech, they let down their
 Kidnapped |