| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Euthydemus by Plato: few, and recommends that 'he and his house' should continue to serve
philosophy, and not mind about its professors.
...
There is a stage in the history of philosophy in which the old is dying
out, and the new has not yet come into full life. Great philosophies like
the Eleatic or Heraclitean, which have enlarged the boundaries of the human
mind, begin to pass away in words. They subsist only as forms which have
rooted themselves in language--as troublesome elements of thought which
cannot be either used or explained away. The same absoluteness which was
once attributed to abstractions is now attached to the words which are the
signs of them. The philosophy which in the first and second generation was
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Letters from England by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft: Christianize Borneo, and to open its trade to the English. I sat
between him and Mr. Ward, formerly Minister to Mexico before Mr.
Pakenham. He wrote a very nice book on Mexico, and is an agreeable
and intelligent person. . . . On Wednesday A. and I went together to
the National Gallery, and just as we were setting out Mr. Butler of
New York came in and I invited him to join us. . . . While we were
seated before a charming Claude who should come in but Mr. R.W.
Emerson and we had quite a joyful greeting. Just then came in Mr.
Rogers with two ladies, one on each arm. He renewed his request
that I would bring my son to breakfast with him, and appointed
Friday morning, and then added if those gentlemen who are with you
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: The Wizard and Dorothy were firm friends and had enjoyed many
strange adventures together. He was a little man with a bald head and
sharp eyes and a round, jolly face, and because he was neither haughty
nor proud he had become a great favorite with the Oz people.
"Wizard," said Dorothy, "I want you to help me fix up a present for
Ozma's birthday."
"I'll be glad to do anything for you and for Ozma," he answered.
"What's on your mind, Dorothy?"
"I'm going to make a great cake, with frosting and candles, and all
that, you know."
"Very good," said the Wizard.
The Magic of Oz |
