| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Taras Bulba and Other Tales by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol: necessary, he made a speech to the Cossacks, not for the purpose of
encouraging and freshening up their spirits--he knew their souls were
strong without that--but simply because he wished to tell them all he
had upon his heart.
"I want to tell you, brother gentles, what our brotherhood is. You
have heard from your fathers and grandfathers in what honour our land
has always been held by all. We made ourselves known to the Greeks,
and we took gold from Constantinople, and our cities were luxurious,
and we had, too, our temples, and our princes--the princes of the
Russian people, our own princes, not Catholic unbelievers. But the
Mussulmans took all; all vanished, and we remained defenceless; yea,
Taras Bulba and Other Tales |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Miracle Mongers and Their Methods by Harry Houdini: weights, or to do anything in imitation
of him; because, as he was very strong in
the arms, and grasped those that try'd his
strength that way so hard, that they were
obliged immediately to desire him to desist,
his other feats (wherein his manner
of acting was chiefly owing to the
mechanical advantages gained by the position
of his body) were entirely attributed
to his extraordinary strength.
[5] Or William Joy.
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods |
