The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Blix by Frank Norris: I would play with any one else? Maybe you think I can't play well
enough to make it interesting for you," she said gayly. "Is that
it? I can soon show you, Condy Rivers--never mind when I learned
how."
"But, Blix, you don't know how often we play, those men and I.
Why, it is almost every--you don't know how often we play."
"Condy, whenever you want to play, and will play with ME, no
matter what I've got in hand, I'll stop everything and play with
you."
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Theaetetus by Plato: real children, and at another time counterfeits which are with difficulty
distinguished from them; if they did, then the discernment of the true and
false birth would be the crowning achievement of the art of midwifery--you
would think so?
THEAETETUS: Indeed I should.
SOCRATES: Well, my art of midwifery is in most respects like theirs; but
differs, in that I attend men and not women; and look after their souls
when they are in labour, and not after their bodies: and the triumph of my
art is in thoroughly examining whether the thought which the mind of the
young man brings forth is a false idol or a noble and true birth. And like
the midwives, I am barren, and the reproach which is often made against me,
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