| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Extracts From Adam's Diary by Mark Twain: variety, and the only sample; this is plain. But I caught a true
kangaroo and brought it in, thinking that this one, being lonesome,
would rather have that for company than have no kin at all, or any
animal it could feel a nearness to or get sympathy from in its
forlorn condition here among strangers who do not know its ways
or habits, or what to do to make it feel that it is among friends;
but it was a mistake--it went into such fits at the sight of the
kangaroo that I was convinced it had never seen one before. I
pity the poor noisy little animal, but there is nothing I can do
to make it happy. If I could tame it--but that is out of the
question; the more I try, the worse I seem to make it. It grieves
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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 Sportsman by Xenophon: The foot-traps should resemble those used for deer.
These hunts should be conducted not singly,[10] but in parties, since
the wild boar can be captured only by the collective energy of several
men, and that not easily.
[10] Lit. "There should be a band of huntsmen"; or, "It will take the
united energies of several to capture this game." See Hom. "Il."
ix. 543, of the Calydonian boar:
{ton d' uios Oineos apekteinen Meleagros,
polleon ek polion theretoras andras ageiras
kai kunas . ou men gar k' edame pauroisi brotoisin
tossos een, pollous de pures epebes' alegeines.}
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