| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lucile by Owen Meredith: Drawn and wan
Though his face, he look'd more than his wont was--a man.
Strong for once, in his weakness. Uplifted, fill'd through
With a manly resolve.
If that axiom be true
Of the "Sum quia cogito," I must opine
That "id sum quod cogito;"--that which, in fine
A man thinks and feels, with his whole force of thought
And feeling, the man is himself.
He had fought
With himself, and rose up from his self-overthrow
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Finished by H. Rider Haggard: "Of course she lied, Macumazahn. Is she not my pupil whom I have
trained from a child? Moreover, she lied well, it would seem,
who guessed what sort of a dream you would have when you thought
of turning your steps to Zululand."
"Why do you play at sticks (i.e. fence) with me, Zikali, seeing
that neither of us are children?"
"O Macumazahn, that is where you are mistaken, seeing that both
of us, old though we be and cunning though we think ourselves,
are nothing but babes in the arms of Fate. Well, well, I will
tell you the truth, since it would be foolish to try to throw
dust into such eyes as yours. I knew that you were down in
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