| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: more than mere unconditioned possibility. We require some
positive evidence, be it ever so little in amount; and no theory
which cannot furnish such positive evidence is likely to carry to
our minds much practical conviction.
This is what I meant by saying that the great weakness of the
hypothesis here criticized lies in its materialistic character.
In contrast with this we shall presently see that the assertion
of a future life which is not materially conditioned, though
unsupported by any item of experience whatever, may nevertheless
be an impregnable assertion. But first I would conclude the
foregoing criticism by ruling out altogether the sense in which
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: no evil, are about to visit my cave at once; for to prove that I sincerely
regret my share in your capture I am going to permit you to escape."
This speech greatly surprised the prisoner, until he reflected that it
was just what might be expected of the Daemon of Repentance. The
fellow at once busied himself untying the knots that bound Santa Claus
and unlocking the chains that fastened him to the wall. Then he
led the way through a long tunnel until they both emerged in the
Cave of Repentance.
"I hope you will forgive me," said the Daemon pleadingly. "I am not
really a bad person, you know; and I believe I accomplish a great deal
of good in the world."
A Kidnapped Santa Claus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Straight Deal by Owen Wister: both the chance of diversity in social customs and the tolerance of it
must be far less than in our huge unfocused country. With us, Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, is each a centre. Here you
can pronounce the word calm, for example, in one way or another, and it
merely indicates where you come from. Departure in England from certain
established pronunciations has another effect.
"Of course," said one of my friends, "one knows where to place anybody
who says 'girl'" (pronouncing it as it is spelled).
"That's frightful," said I, "because I say 'girl'."
"Oh, but you are an American. It doesn't apply."
But had I been English, it would have been something like coming to
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