| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Fisherman's Luck by Henry van Dyke: gross little sensualist who expiates his sensuality in the larder.
His story contains a moral, worthy the attention of all little birds
and little boys; warning them to keep to those refined and
intellectual pursuits which raised him to so high a pitch of
popularity during the early part of his career; but to eschew all
tendency to that gross and dissipated indulgence, which brought this
mistaken little bird to an untimely end."--WASHINGTON IRVING:
Wolfert's Roost.
The Swiftwater brook was laughing softly to itself as it ran through
a strip of hemlock forest on the edge of the Woodlings' farm. Among
the evergreen branches overhead the gayly-dressed warblers,--little
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: the fatal logic which the punishment of death inspires. And so," she
added with an appealing look at Monsieur de Grandville, "I think it
would be merciful in you to abandon the theory of premeditation, for
in so doing you would save the man's life. He is evidently a fine man
in spite of his crime; he might, perhaps, repair that crime by a great
repentance if you gave him time. The works of repentance ought to
count for something in the judgment of the law. In these days is there
nothing better for a human being to do than to give his life, or
build, as in former times, a cathedral of Milan, to expiate his
crimes?"
"Your ideas are noble, madame," said Monsieur de Grandville, "but,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death by Patrick Henry: country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy
can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone.
There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will
raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the
strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir,
we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late
to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!
Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston!
The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--
but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps
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