| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: 169 The Prisoners of the Queen
Approaching the gateway of the Emerald City the travelers found it guarded
by two girls of the Army of Revolt, who opposed their entrance by drawing
the knitting-needles from their hair and threatening to prod the first that
came near.
But the Tin Woodman was not afraid."
At the worst they can but scratch my beautiful nickel-plate," he said. "But
there will be no 'worst,' for I think I can manage to frighten these absurd
soldiers very easily. Follow me closely, all of you!"
Then, swinging his axe in a great circle to right and left before him, he
advanced upon the gate, and the others followed him without hesitation.
The Marvelous Land of Oz |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from What is Man? by Mark Twain: and hasn't been matched since. The prospect of matching him in
our time is not bright.
The Baconians claim that the Stratford Shakespeare was not
qualified to write the Works, and that Francis Bacon was.
They claim that Bacon possessed the stupendous equipment--both
natural and acquired--for the miracle; and that no other
Englishman of his day possessed the like; or, indeed,
anything closely approaching it.
Macaulay, in his Essay, has much to say about the splendor
and horizonless magnitude of that equipment. Also, he has
synopsized Bacon's history--a thing which cannot be done for the
What is Man? |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac: Wife, give him five francs," he added to Madame Grandet as he
decamped.
The poor woman was only too happy to buy peace at the cost of eleven
francs. She knew that Grandet would let her alone for a fortnight
after he had thus taken back, franc by franc, the money he had given
her.
"Here, Cornoiller," she said, slipping ten francs into the man's hand,
"some day we will reward your services."
Cornoiller could say nothing, so he went away.
"Madame," said Nanon, who had put on her black coif and taken her
basket, "I want only three francs. You keep the rest; it'll go fast
Eugenie Grandet |
