| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Rig Veda: strong through lauds, whose might the Bull upholds.
4 Looking on men, ne'er slumbering, they by their deserts attained
as
Gods to lofty immortality.
Borne on refulgent cars, sinless, with serpents' powers, they
robe
them, for our welfare, in the height of heaven.
5 Great Kings who bless us, who have come to sacrifice, who,
ne'er
assailed, have set their mansion in the sky,-
These I invite with adoration and with hymns, mighty Adityas,
The Rig Veda |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: cups, and from the cups down the guests' throats. Every one talked,
all hearts expanding under the good cheer. Jacim, although a Jew, did
not hesitate to express his admiration of the planets. A merchant from
Aphaka amazed the nomads with his description of the marvels in the
temple of Hierapolis; and they wished to know the cost of a pilgrimage
to that place. Others held fast to the principles of their native
religion. A German, who was nearly blind, sang a hymn celebrating that
promontory in Scandinavia where the gods were wont to appear with
halos around their heads. The people from Sichem declined to eat
turtles, out of deference to the dove Azima.
Several groups stood talking near the middle of the banqueting-hall,
Herodias |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: whisper, "He's talking of you," seemed to me sheer
waste of breath. The Chief Steward must have
stuck to his point, whatever it was, because Hamil-
ton was heard again more supercilious if possible,
and also very emphatic:
"Rubbish, my good man! One doesn't COMPETE with
a rank outsider like that. There's plenty of time."
Then there were pushing of chairs, footsteps in
the next room, and plaintive expostulations from
the Steward, who was pursuing Hamilton, even out
of doors through the main entrance.
The Shadow Line |
