| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Memories and Portraits by Robert Louis Stevenson: of his pupils, putting these uncouth, umbrageous students at their
ease with ready human geniality. Thus, at least, we have a healthy
democratic atmosphere to breathe in while at work; even when there
is no cordiality there is always a juxtaposition of the different
classes, and in the competition of study the intellectual power of
each is plainly demonstrated to the other. Our tasks ended, we of
the North go forth as freemen into the humming, lamplit city. At
five o'clock you may see the last of us hiving from the college
gates, in the glare of the shop windows, under the green glimmer of
the winter sunset. The frost tingles in our blood; no proctor lies
in wait to intercept us; till the bell sounds again, we are the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: And we rained down upon them stones and baked clay one after
another, marked, from thy Lord, and these are not so far from the
unjust!
And unto Midian (we sent) their brother Sho'haib. He said, 'O my
people! serve God; ye have no god but Him, and give not short
measure and weight. Verily, 'I see you well off; but, verily, I fear
for you the torments of an encompassing day. O my people! give measure
and weight fairly, and defraud not men of their things; and wreak
not wrong in the earth, corrupting it. God's residue is better for you
if ye be believers. But I am not a guardian over you.'
They said, 'O Sho'haib! Do thy prayers bid thee that we should
 The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from An International Episode by Henry James: revealing also sometimes, on contact, qualities not to
have been predicted of sidereal bodies. Bessie, who knew
so many of her contemporaries by reputation, had a good many
personal disappointments; but, on the other hand, she had
innumerable satisfactions and enthusiasms, and she communicated
the emotions of either class to a dear friend, of her own sex,
in Boston, with whom she was in voluminous correspondence.
Some of her reflections, indeed, she attempted to impart
to Lord Lambeth, who came almost every day to Jones's Hotel,
and whom Mrs. Westgate admitted to be really devoted.
Captain Littledale, it appeared, had gone to India; and of
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