| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: "Do you mean I must write about it?" and Paul struck the note of
the listening candour of a child.
"Of course you must. And tremendously well, do you mind? That
takes off a little of my esteem for this thing of yours - that it
goes on abroad. Hang 'abroad!' Stay at home and do things here -
do subjects we can measure."
"I'll do whatever you tell me," Overt said, deeply attentive. "But
pardon me if I say I don't understand how you've been reading my
book," he added. "I've had you before me all the afternoon, first
in that long walk, then at tea on the lawn, till we went to dress
for dinner, and all the evening at dinner and in this place."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Laches by Plato: is skilful in the accomplishment of the end which you have in view?
NICIAS: Most true.
SOCRATES: And at present we have in view some knowledge, of which the end
is the soul of youth?
NICIAS: Yes.
SOCRATES: And we are enquiring, Which of us is skilful or successful in
the treatment of the soul, and which of us has had good teachers?
LACHES: Well but, Socrates; did you never observe that some persons, who
have had no teachers, are more skilful than those who have, in some things?
SOCRATES: Yes, Laches, I have observed that; but you would not be very
willing to trust them if they only professed to be masters of their art,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Ten Years Later by Alexandre Dumas: one say to them, `There is the king going by,' `There is M.
Monk going by,' they would run away, shouting, -- `Vive le
roi!' `Vive M. Monk!' till their lungs were exhausted. And
yet," continued he, surveying, with that look sometimes so
keen and sometimes so proud, the diminishing crowd, -- "and
yet, reflect a little, my good people, on what your king has
done, on what M. Monk has done, and then think what has been
done by this poor unknown, who is called M. d'Artagnan! It
is true you do not know him, since he is here unknown, and
that prevents your thinking about the matter! But, bah! what
matters it! All that does not prevent Charles II. from being
Ten Years Later |
