| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Meno by Plato: Aristotle or the Platonic idea of good. Many of the old rags and ribbons
which defaced the garment of philosophy have been stripped off, but some of
them still adhere. A crude conception of the ideas of Plato survives in
the 'forms' of Bacon. And on the other hand, there are many passages of
Plato in which the importance of the investigation of facts is as much
insisted upon as by Bacon. Both are almost equally superior to the
illusions of language, and are constantly crying out against them, as
against other idols.
Locke cannot be truly regarded as the author of sensationalism any more
than of idealism. His system is based upon experience, but with him
experience includes reflection as well as sense. His analysis and
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tattine by Ruth Ogden [Mrs. Charles W. Ide]: at the proper time, and in the proper place, and she was getting on
beautifully with grandma herself as well. She loved everything about her, and
wished it need not be so very long till she could be a grandma herself, have
white hair and wear snowy caps atop of it, and kerchiefs around her neck, and
use gold eye-glasses and a knitting-basket. Grandma Luty, you see, was one of
the dear, old-fashioned grandmothers. There are not many of them nowadays.
Most of them seem to like to dress so you cannot tell a grandmother from just
an ordinary everyday mother. If you have a grandmother--a nice old one, I
mean--see if you cannot get her into the cap and kerchief, and then show her
how lovely she looks in them. But what I was going to tell you was that
Grandma Luty's visit was all a joy to Tattine, and so when, just at daylight
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Golden Sayings of Epictetus by Epictetus: earth and sky, and one poor cloak. And what lack I yet? am I not
untouched by sorrow, by fear? am I not free? . . . when have I
laid anything to the charge of God or Man? when have I accussed
any? hath any of you seen me with a sorrowful countenance? And in
what wise treat I those of whom you stand in fear and awe? Is it
not as slaves? Who when he seeth me doth not think that he
beholdeth his Master and his King?
CXV
Give thyself more diligently to reflection: know thyself:
take counsel with the Godhead: without God put thine hand unto
nothing!
The Golden Sayings of Epictetus |
