| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Peter Pan by James M. Barrie: his fierce heart broke.
At last he cried, "Cleave him to the brisket!" but without
conviction.
"Down, boys, and at them!" Peter's voice rang out; and in
another moment the clash of arms was resounding through the ship.
Had the pirates kept together it is certain that they would have
won; but the onset came when they were still unstrung, and they
ran hither and thither, striking wildly, each thinking himself
the last survivor of the crew. Man to man they were the
stronger; but they fought on the defensive only, which enabled
the boys to hunt in pairs and choose their quarry. Some of the
Peter Pan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Gambara by Honore de Balzac: "Yes," cried the cook, "and I can see what your plan is."
"If it is not too late to make the thunder of poetry audible to his
ears, in the midst of the harmonies of some noble music, we must put
him into a condition to receive it and appreciate it. Will you help me
to intoxicate Gambara, my good fellow? Will you be none the worse for
it?"
"What do you mean, Excellenza?"
Andrea went off without answering him, laughing at the acumen still
left to this cracked wit.
On the following day he called for Marianna, who had spent the morning
in arranging her dress,--a simple but decent outfit, on which she had
Gambara |
