| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Caesar's Commentaries in Latin by Julius Caesar: viderunt atque ipsos res frumentaria deficere coepit, concilio convocato
constituerunt optimum esse domum suam quemque reverti, et quorum in fines
primum Romani exercitum introduxissent, ad eos defendendos undique
convenirent, ut potius in suis quam in alienis finibus decertarent et
domesticis copiis rei frumentariae uterentur. Ad eam sententiam cum
reliquis causis haec quoque ratio eos deduxit, quod Diviciacum atque
Haeduos finibus Bellovacorum adpropinquare cognoverant. His persuaderi ut
diutius morarentur neque suis auxilium terrent non poterat.
Ea re constituta, secunda vigilia magno cum, strepitu ac tumultu
castris egressi nullo certo ordine neque imperio, cum sibi quisque primum
itineris locum peteret et domum pervenire properaret, fecerunt ut
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: upon the old maid a glance which reached her heart.
"I would," he said, "that that moment had given me the right to keep
you as mine forever" [she listened with a delighted air]; "as you lay
fainting upon that bed, you were enchanting. I have never in my life
seen a more beautiful person,--and I have seen many handsome women.
Plump ladies have this advantage: they are superb to look upon; they
have only to show themselves and they triumph."
"I fear you are making fun of me," said the old maid, "and that is not
kind when all the town will probably misinterpret what happened to me
yesterday."
"As true as my name is du Bousquier, mademoiselle, I have never
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