| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Familiar Studies of Men and Books by Robert Louis Stevenson: at night; his palate so unsophisticated that, like a child,
he disliked the taste of wine - or perhaps, living in
America, had never tasted any that was good; and his
knowledge of nature was so complete and curious that he could
have told the time of year, within a day or so, by the aspect
of the plants. In his dealings with animals, he was the
original of Hawthorne's Donatello. He pulled the woodchuck
out of its hole by the tail; the hunted fox came to him for
protection; wild squirrels have been seen to nestle in his
waistcoat; he would thrust his arm into a pool and bring
forth a bright, panting fish, lying undismayed in the palm 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 Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne: voice went on: "Yes, it undoubtedly is a good joke. This
machine certainly never came from France."
"Nor from England," replied the other.
On the road, by the light of the flashes, Michael saw,
twenty yards from him, two travelers, seated side by side
in a most peculiar vehicle, the wheels of which were deeply
imbedded in the ruts formed in the road.
He approached them, the one grinning from ear to ear,
and the other gloomily contemplating his situation, and rec-
ognized them as the two reporters who had been his com-
panions on board the Caucasus.
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