| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Middlemarch by George Eliot: pelted with."
"The fact is," said Sir James, "if a man goes into public life he
must be prepared for the consequences. He must make himself proof
against calumny."
"My dear Chettam, that is all very fine, you know," said Mr. Brooke.
"But how will you make yourself proof against calumny? You should
read history--look at ostracism, persecution, martyrdom, and that
kind of thing. They always happen to the best men, you know.
But what is that in Horace?--'fiat justitia, ruat . . .
something or other."
"Exactly," said Sir James, with a little more heat than usual.
Middlemarch |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: scarce happily inspired when he broached the subject at his own
table and before guests who were strangers to me. It was the sort
of error he was always ready to repent, but always certain to
repeat; and on this occasion he spoke so freely that I soon made an
excuse and left the house with the firm purpose of returning no
more. About a month later, I met him at dinner at a common
friend's. 'Now,' said he, on the stairs, 'I engage you - like a
lady to dance - for the end of the evening. You have no right to
quarrel with me and not give me a chance.' I have often said and
thought that Fleeming had no tact; he belied the opinion then. I
remember perfectly how, so soon as we could get together, he began
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