| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from King Henry VI by William Shakespeare: But you, that are polluted with your lusts,
Stain'd with the guiltless blood of innocents,
Corrupt and tainted with a thousand vices,
Because you want the grace that others have,
You judge it straight a thing impossible
To compass wonders but by help of devils.
No, misconceived! Joan of Arc hath been
A virgin from her tender infancy,
Chaste and immaculate in very thought;
Whose maiden blood, thus rigorously effused,
Will cry for vengeance at the gates of heaven.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: is put there as a sort of salutation which the god addresses to those who
enter the temple; as much as to say that the ordinary salutation of 'Hail!'
is not right, and that the exhortation 'Be temperate!' would be a far
better way of saluting one another. The notion of him who dedicated the
inscription was, as I believe, that the god speaks to those who enter his
temple, not as men speak; but, when a worshipper enters, the first word
which he hears is 'Be temperate!' This, however, like a prophet he
expresses in a sort of riddle, for 'Know thyself!' and 'Be temperate!' are
the same, as I maintain, and as the letters imply (Greek), and yet they may
be easily misunderstood; and succeeding sages who added 'Never too much,'
or, 'Give a pledge, and evil is nigh at hand,' would appear to have so
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: shall make but a poor figure in your journal tomorrow."
"My journal!" "Yes, I know exactly what you will
say: Friday, went to the Lower Rooms; wore my sprigged
muslin robe with blue trimmings--plain black shoes--appeared
to much advantage; but was strangely harassed by a queer,
half-witted man, who would make me dance with him,
and distressed me by his nonsense."
"Indeed I shall say no such thing."
"Shall I tell you what you ought to say?"
"If you please."
"I danced with a very agreeable young man,
Northanger Abbey |
