| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: One flings into that well the labor of one's whole life, one flings in
one's fortune, one flings in one's riches, one flings in one's success,
one flings in one's liberty or fatherland, one flings in one's
well-being, one flings in one's repose, one flings in one's joy!
More! more! more! Empty the vase! tip the urn! One must finish
by flinging in one's heart.
Somewhere in the fog of the ancient hells, there is a tun like that.
Is not one pardonable, if one at last refuses! Can the inexhaustible
have any right? Are not chains which are endless above human strength?
Who would blame Sisyphus and Jean Valjean for saying: "It is enough!"
The obedience of matter is limited by friction; is there no limit
Les Miserables |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Spirit of the Border by Zane Grey: you happen over here?"
"Captain Williamson and his men will make the river eight or ten miles above,"
answered Christy. "I came across to inquire about the young people who left
the Village of Peace. Was glad to learn from Jonathan they got out all right."
"Yes, indeed, we're all glad. Come and sit down. Of course you'll stay over
night. You look tired and worn. Well, no wonder, when you saw that Moravian
massacre. You must tell me about it. I saw Sam Brady yesterday, and he spoke
of seeing you over there. Sam told me a good deal. Ah! here's Jim now."
The young missionary came out of the open door, and the two young men greeted
each other warmly.
"How is she?" asked Christy, when the first greetings had been exchanged.
The Spirit of the Border |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: contrived catastrophes; they end far less poetically--in disgust, in
the blighting of every flower of the soul, in the commonplace of
habit, and very often too in another passion, which robs a wife of the
interest which is traditionally ascribed to women. So, when common
sense, the law of social proprieties, family interest--all the mixed
elements which, since the Restoration, have been dignified by the mane
of Public Morals, out of sheer aversion to the name of the Catholic
religion--where this is seconded by a sense of insults a little too
offensive; when the fatigue of constant self-sacrifice has almost
reached the point of exhaustion; and when, under these circumstances,
a too cruel blow--one of those mean acts which a man never lets a
The Muse of the Department |
