| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: profounder psychology than M. Taine's. But whether his theory of
art be adequate or not, there can be but one opinion as to the
brilliant eloquence with which it is set forth.
June, 1868.
XIV.
ATHENIAN AND AMERICAN LIFE.
IN a very interesting essay on British and Foreign
Characteristics, published a few years ago, Mr. W. R. Greg quotes
the famous letter of the Turkish cadi to Mr. Layard, with the
comment that "it contains the germ and element of a wisdom to
which our busy and bustling existence is a stranger"; and he uses
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer: between the evil genius who secretly had invaded London and the triumph
of his cause--the triumph of the yellow races.
I glanced at our notes. "Lord Southery," I replied.
Smith tossed the morning paper across to me.
"Look," he said shortly. "He's dead."
I read the account of the peer's death, and glanced at
the long obituary notice; but no more than glanced at it.
He had but recently returned from the East, and now, after a
short illness, had died from some affection of the heart.
There had been no intimation that his illness was of a
serious nature, and even Smith, who watched over his flock--
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu |
