| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Crisis in Russia by Arthur Ransome: plenty to eat. Almost every Russian worker retains in some
form or other connection with a village, where, if he returns,
he will not be an entire stranger, but at worst a poor relation,
and quite possibly an honored guest. It is not surprising that
many thousands have "returned to the land" in this way.
Further, if a workman retains his connection, both with a
distant village and with a town, he can keep himself and his
family fat and prosperous by ceasing to be a workman, and,
instead, traveling on the buffers or the roof of a railway
wagon, and bringing back with him sacks of flour and
potatoes for sale in the town at fantastic prices. Thereby he
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: our talk, with the brave devoted way you quitted the country, and
still more perhaps with your force of character in remaining
abroad. You're very strong - you're wonderfully strong."
Paul tried to sound his shining eyes; the strange thing was that he
seemed sincere - not a mocking fiend. He turned away, and as he
did so heard the Master say something about his giving them all the
proof, being the joy of his old age. He faced him again, taking
another look. "Do you mean to say you've stopped writing?"
"My dear fellow, of course I have. It's too late. Didn't I tell
you?"
"I can't believe it!"
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from On Revenues by Xenophon: increase in wealth apart from the other sources of revenue. And I
would like, for the benefit of those who may be ignorant, to point out
what the capacity of these mines really is. You will then be in a
position to decide how to turn them to better account. It is clear, I
presume, to every one that these mines have for a very long time been
in active operation; at any rate no one will venture to fix the date
at which they first began to be worked.[2] Now in spite of the fact
that the silver ore has been dug and carried out for so long a time, I
would ask you to note that the mounds of rubbish so shovelled out are
but a fractional portion of the series of hillocks containing veins of
silver, and as yet unquarried. Nor is the silver-bearing region
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