| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: such an instance of pride, and am doubtful whether I ought not to punish
him by dismissing him at once after this reconciliation, or by marrying and
teazing him for ever. But these measures are each too violent to be adopted
without some deliberation; at present my thoughts are fluctuating between
various schemes. I have many things to compass: I must punish Frederica,
and pretty severely too, for her application to Reginald; I must punish
him for receiving it so favourably, and for the rest of his conduct. I must
torment my sister-in-law for the insolent triumph of her look and manner
since Sir James has been dismissed; for, in reconciling Reginald to me, I
was not able to save that ill-fated young man; and I must make myself
amends for the humiliation to which I have stooped within these few days.
Lady Susan |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Merry Men by Robert Louis Stevenson: her nature to the brim. Those who had known the Doctor in bachelor
days, when he had aired quite as many theories, but of a different
order, attributed his present philosophy to the study of Anastasie.
It was her brute enjoyment that he rationalised and perhaps vainly
imitated.
Madame Desprez was an artist in the kitchen, and made coffee to a
nicety. She had a knack of tidiness, with which she had infected
the Doctor; everything was in its place; everything capable of
polish shone gloriously; and dust was a thing banished from her
empire. Aline, their single servant, had no other business in the
world but to scour and burnish. So Doctor Desprez lived in his
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