| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Koran: Him shall ye be returned.
Nor can ye make Him helpless in the earth, nor in the heavens; nor
have ye beside God a patron or a helper.
And those who disbelieve in God's signs and in meeting with Him,
these shall despair of my mercy; and these, for them is grievous woe.
But the answer of his people was only to say, 'Kill him or burn
him!' But God saved him from the fire; verily, in that are signs
unto a people who believe.
He said, 'Verily, ye take be-side God idols, through mutual
friendship in the life of this world; then on the day of judgment ye
shall deny each other, and shall curse each other, and your resort
 The Koran |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: Sponde's death, Mademoiselle Armande joined Madame du Bousquier as
they were leaving Saint-Leonard's, where they had gone to hear a
requiem said for him. The generous demoiselle thought that on this
occasion she owed her sympathy to the niece in trouble. They walked
together, talking of the dear deceased, until they reached the
forbidden house, into which Mademoiselle Armande enticed Madame du
Bousquier by the charm of her manner and conversation. The poor
desolate woman was glad to talk of her uncle with one whom he truly
loved. Moreover, she wanted to receive the condolences of the old
marquis, whom she had not seen for nearly three years. It was half-
past one o'clock, and she found at the hotel d'Esgrignon the Chevalier
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