| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Louis Lambert by Honore de Balzac: time.
"Ah, my dear uncle, when monastic solitude was destroyed, uprooted
from its home at the foot of mountains, under green and silent
shade, asylums ought to have been provided for those suffering
souls who, by an idea, promote the progress of nations or prepare
some new and fruitful development of science.
"September 20th.
"The love of study brought me hither, as you know. I have met
really learned men, amazing for the most part; but the lack of
unity in scientific work almost nullifies their efforts. There is
no Head of instruction or of scientific research. At the Museum a
 Louis Lambert |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: at her, spent the rest of his time in scolding his daughter
for so foolishly hurrying her fair friend, who was absolutely
out of breath from haste, when there was not the least
occasion for hurry in the world: but Catherine could not
at all get over the double distress of having involved
her friend in a lecture and been a great simpleton herself,
till they were happily seated at the dinner-table, when
the general's complacent smiles, and a good appetite
of her own, restored her to peace. The dining-parlour
was a noble room, suitable in its dimensions to a much
larger drawing-room than the one in common use, and fitted
 Northanger Abbey |