| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Fisherman's Luck by Henry van Dyke: institution, but his true fame rests on his well-earned titles of A.
M. and F. R. S.,--Master of Angling, and Fisherman Royal of
Scotland. His RECREATIONS OF CHRISTOPHER NORTH, albeit their humour
is sometimes too boisterously hammered in, are genial and generous
essays, overflowing with passages of good-fellowship and pedestrian
fancy. I would recommend any person in a dry and melancholy state
of mind to read his paper on "Streams," in the first volume of
ESSAYS CRITICAL AND IMAGINATIVE. But it must be said, by way of
warning to those with whom dryness is a matter of principle, that
all Scotch fishing-books are likely to be sprinkled with Highland
Dew.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Westward Ho! by Charles Kingsley: up again to the landing-place.
"Beshrew me," quoth Jack, "but we are in the very land of the
nymphs, and I shall expect to see Diana herself next, with the moon
on her forehead."
"Take care, then, where you wander hereabouts, Sir John: lest you
end as Actaeon did, by turning into a stag, and being eaten by a
jaguar."
"Actaeon was eaten by his own hounds, Mr. Cary, so the parallel
don't hold. But surely she was a very wonder of beauty!"
Why was it that Amyas did not like this harmless talk? There had
come over him the strangest new feeling; as if that fair vision was
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