The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne: and fortune at last favoured the representative of the law. His horror
may be imagined when he heard Mr. Fogg say, in his placid voice,
"But there are other vessels besides the Carnatic, it seems to me,
in the harbour of Hong Kong."
And, offering his arm to Aouda, he directed his steps toward the docks
in search of some craft about to start. Fix, stupefied, followed;
it seemed as if he were attached to Mr. Fogg by an invisible thread.
Chance, however, appeared really to have abandoned the man it had hitherto
served so well. For three hours Phileas Fogg wandered about the docks,
with the determination, if necessary, to charter a vessel to carry him
to Yokohama; but he could only find vessels which were loading or unloading,
 Around the World in 80 Days |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: manners there was something better than politeness; there was
good humour and kindness. Mr. Darcy said very little, and Mr.
Hurst nothing at all. The former was divided between
admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her
complexion, and doubt as to the occasion's justifying her coming
so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his breakfast.
Her inquiries after her sister were not very favourably answered.
Miss Bennet had slept ill, and though up, was very feverish, and
not well enough to leave her room. Elizabeth was glad to be
taken to her immediately; and Jane, who had only been withheld
by the fear of giving alarm or inconvenience from expressing in
 Pride and Prejudice |
The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Agesilaus by Xenophon: and therefore still "not old." See "Hell." III. iv. 1 for the
startling news, B.C. 396.
[6] For the class of Neodamodes, see Arnold's note to Thuc. v. 34
(Jowett, "Thuc." ii. 307); also Thuc. vii. 58; "Hell." I. iii. 15.
The proposal was welcomed with enthusiasm on the part of many. They
could not but admire the eagerness of their king to retaliate upon the
Persian for his former invasions of Hellas by counter-invasion on his
own soil. They liked the preference also which he showed for attacking
rather than awaiting his enemy's attack, and his intention to carry on
the war at the expense of Persia rather than that of Hellas; but it
was the perfection of policy, they felt, so to change the arena of
|
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: holocausts, rushed to the foot of the pavilion and threatened Antipas
with their knives. He attempted to speak to them, being only slightly
protected by some of the Sadducees. Suddenly he perceived Mannaeus at
a distance and made him a sign to approach. The expression on the face
of Vitellius indicated that he regarded all this turmoil as no concern
of his.
The Pharisees, leaning against the pavilion, were now beside
themselves with demoniac fury. They broke plates and dashed them upon
the floor. The attendants had served them with a ragout composed of
the flesh of the wild ass, an unclean animal, and their anger knew no
bounds. Aulus rallied them jeeringly apropos of the ass's head, which
 Herodias |