| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Daisy Miller by Henry James: have the honor of claiming him as a fellow countryman.
"Take care you don't hurt your teeth," he said, paternally.
"I haven't got any teeth to hurt. They have all come out.
I have only got seven teeth. My mother counted them last night,
and one came out right afterward. She said she'd slap me
if any more came out. I can't help it. It's this old Europe.
It's the climate that makes them come out. In America they
didn't come out. It's these hotels."
Winterbourne was much amused. "If you eat three lumps of sugar,
your mother will certainly slap you," he said.
"She's got to give me some candy, then," rejoined his young interlocutor.
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The People That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs: with solitary trees and dotting bushes so that I found no
difficulty in stalking up wind to within fifty feet of my
quarry--a large, sleek doe unaccompanied by a fawn. Greatly then
did I regret my rifle. Never in my life had I shot an arrow,
but I knew how it was done, and fitting the shaft to my string,
I aimed carefully and let drive. At the same instant I called
to Nobs and leaped to me feet.
The arrow caught the doe full in the side, and in the same
moment Nobs was after her. She turned to flee with the two of
us pursuing her, Nobs with his great fangs bared and I with my
short spear poised for a cast. The balance of the herd sprang
The People That Time Forgot |
