The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: Finally we talked of the growing importance of the Council
of Public Economy. Rykov was of opinion that it
would eventually become the centre of the whole State
organism, "it and Trades Unions organizing the actual
producers in each branch."
"Then you think that as your further plans develop, with the
creation of more and more industrial centres, with special
productive populations concentrated round them, the
Councils of the Trades Unions will tend to become identical
with the Soviets elected in the same districts by the same
industrial units?"
|
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: half ruined by some speculation in Mexico or the Indies? I will clear
all this up."
"You speak a soliloquy as if you were on the stage, and seem to
account me a cipher," said the old admiral suddenly. "Don't you know
that if he is a gentleman, I have more than one bag in my hold that
will stop any leak in his fortune?"
"As to that, if he is a son of Longueville's, he will want nothing;
but," said Monsieur de Fontaine, shaking his head from side to side,
"his father has not even washed off the stains of his origin. Before
the Revolution he was an attorney, and the DE he has since assumed no
more belongs to him than half of his fortune."
|