| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Essays of Travel by Robert Louis Stevenson: sort of shadowy etching over the snow. The road went down and up,
and past a blacksmith's cottage that made fine music in the valley.
Three compatriots of Burns drove up to me in a cart. They were all
drunk, and asked me jeeringly if this was the way to Dunure. I told
them it was; and my answer was received with unfeigned merriment.
One gentleman was so much tickled he nearly fell out of the cart;
indeed, he was only saved by a companion, who either had not so fine
a sense of humour or had drunken less.
'The toune of Mayboll,' says the inimitable Abercrummie, 'stands upon
an ascending ground from east to west, and lyes open to the south.
It hath one principals street, with houses upon both sides, built of
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Man of Business by Honore de Balzac: . . . Yes. Gave him the slip without any warning but a letter, in
which the spelling was all to seek.'
" 'There, Daddy Croizeau, you see what comes of boring a woman--'
" 'It is indeed a lesson, my pretty lady,' said the guileful Croizeau.
'Meanwhile, I have never seen a man in such a state. Our friend
Denisart cannot tell his left hand from his right; he will not go back
to look at the "scene of his happiness," as he calls it. He has so
thoroughly lost his wits, that he proposes that I should buy all
Hortense's furniture (Hortense was her name) for four thousand
francs.'
" 'A pretty name,' said Antonia.
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