| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Alcibiades I by Plato: consider how we should regard the question of the genuineness of a
particular writing, if this lost literature had been preserved to us.
These considerations lead us to adopt the following criteria of
genuineness: (1) That is most certainly Plato's which Aristotle attributes
to him by name, which (2) is of considerable length, of (3) great
excellence, and also (4) in harmony with the general spirit of the Platonic
writings. But the testimony of Aristotle cannot always be distinguished
from that of a later age (see above); and has various degrees of
importance. Those writings which he cites without mentioning Plato, under
their own names, e.g. the Hippias, the Funeral Oration, the Phaedo, etc.,
have an inferior degree of evidence in their favour. They may have been
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: But I think you will prefer to live.
Mombi cast an uneasy glance at the Sorceress, and saw that she was in
earnest, and not to be trifled with. So she replied, slowly:
"I will answer your questions."
"That is what I expected," said Glinda, pleasantly. "You have chosen wisely,
I assure you."
She then motioned to one of her Captains, who brought her a beautiful golden
casket. From this
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the Sorceress drew an immense white pearl, attached to a slender chain which
she placed around her neck in such a way that the pearl rested upon her
 The Marvelous Land of Oz |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: his neck and a silver platter to eat from. At the other end was
placed a small stand, with a low rail around the edge of it, for Billina
and her chicks. The rail kept the ten little Dorothys from falling
off the stand, while the Yellow Hen could easily reach over and take
her food from her tray upon the table. At other places sat the Hungry
Tiger, the Cowardly Lion, the Saw-Horse, the Rubber Bear, the Fox King
and the Donkey King; they made quite a company of animals.
At the lower end of the great room was another table, at which sat the
Ryls and Knooks who had come with Santa Claus, the wooden soldiers who
had come with the Queen of Merryland, and the Hilanders and Lolanders
who had come with John Dough. Here were also seated the officers of
 The Road to Oz |