| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: from the ship to the boat, and we signalled away at a great rate -
but no signs of life. The tests, however, make me pretty sure one
wire at least is good; so I determined to lay down cable from where
we were to the shore, and go to Spartivento to see what had
happened there. I fear my men are ill. The night was lovely,
perfectly calm; so we lay close to the boat and signals were
continually sent, but with no result. This morning I laid the
cable down to Fort Genois in style; and now we are picking up odds
and ends of cable between the different breaks, and getting our
buoys on board, &c. To-morrow I expect to leave for Spartivento.'
IV.
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from A Second Home by Honore de Balzac: with one finger between his little teeth, and standing in one of those
childish attitudes that are so graceful because they are so perfectly
natural, raised the muslin veil that hid the rosy face of a little
girl sleeping on her mother's knee.
"Is Eugenie asleep, then?" said he, quite astonished. "Why is she
asleep when we are awake?" he added, looking up with large, liquid
black eyes.
"That only God can know," replied Caroline, with a smile.
The mother and boy gazed at the infant, only that morning baptized.
Caroline, now about four-and-twenty, showed the ripe beauty which had
expanded under the influence of cloudless happiness and constant
|