| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: lies outside the city wall she looks to her cavalry for that; and
single-handed her troopers must do desperate encounter against the
united forces of the enemy. I say, under these circumstances, we shall
need in the first place the strong support of Heaven; and in the
second place, well will it be for us if our cavalry commander prove
himself a consummate officer.[5] Indeed, he will have need of large
wisdom to deal with a force so vastly superior in numbers, and of
enterprise to strike when the critical moment comes.
[4] See Thuc. ii. 13, 14, 22, etc., and in particular iv. 95,
Hippocrates' speech before the battle of Delium, 424 B.C.
[5] A "parfait marechal."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce: the eddies of the stream, the beating of the dragon flies'
wings, the strokes of the water spiders' legs, like oars
which had lifted their boat -- all these made audible
music. A fish slid along beneath his eyes and he heard the
rush of its body parting the water.
He had come to the surface facing down the stream; in a
moment the visible world seemed to wheel slowly round,
himself the pivotal point, and he saw the bridge, the fort,
the soldiers upon the bridge, the captain, the sergeant, the
two privates, his executioners. They were in silhouette
against the blue sky. They shouted and gesticulated,
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: of our own country, surely, have the first rights; and I have left
thousands in distress upon our own shore. - The monk gave a cordial
wave with his head, - as much as to say, No doubt there is misery
enough in every corner of the world, as well as within our convent
- But we distinguish, said I, laying my hand upon the sleeve of his
tunic, in return for his appeal - we distinguish, my good father!
betwixt those who wish only to eat the bread of their own labour -
and those who eat the bread of other people's, and have no other
plan in life, but to get through it in sloth and ignorance, FOR THE
LOVE OF GOD.
The poor Franciscan made no reply: a hectic of a moment pass'd
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