| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: your affection is returned. In point of birth, no exceptions can
be made; in every other respect, her advantages are equal to
those which you yourself possess--think, however, a moment. Sir
Duncan is a fanatic--Presbyterian, at least--in arms against the
King; he is only with us in the quality of a prisoner, and we
are, I fear, but at the commencement of a long civil war. Is
this a time, think you, Menteith, for you to make proposals for
his heiress? Or what chance is there that he will now listen to
it ?"
Passion, an ingenious, as well as an eloquent advocate, supplied
the young nobleman with a thousand answers to these objections.
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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 Voice of the City by O. Henry: "Big Jim" Dougherty and his wife to a table.
"Play that menu straight across for what you like,
Dele," said "Big Jim." "It's you for a trough of
the gilded oats to-night. It strikes me that maybe
we've been sticking too fast to home fodder."
"Big Jim's" wife gave her order. He looked at
her with respect. She had mentioned truffles; and be
bad not known that she knew what truffles were. From
the wine list she designated an appropriate and de-
sirable brand. He looked at her with some admiration.
She was beaming with the innocent excitement that
 The Voice of the City |