| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: open war, he considered that it would be safer and more advantageous
to outwit them, and for this reason he did not stop the work of
reconciliation.
And that this might be effected the duke concluded a peace with them
in which he confirmed their former covenants; he gave them four
thousand ducats at once; he promised not to injure the Bentivogli; and
he formed an alliance with Giovanni; and moreover he would not force
them to come personally into his presence unless it pleased them to do
so. On the other hand, they promised to restore to him the duchy of
Urbino and other places seized by them, to serve him in all his
expeditions, and not to make war against or ally themselves with any
The Prince |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Gambara by Honore de Balzac: intending to show him the truth by the light he himself would bring
down with him.
"Well," said he, pouring him out another bumper of wine and clinking
glasses with him, "this German has, you see, written a sublime opera
without troubling himself with theories, while those musicians who
write grammars of harmony may, like literary critics, be atrocious
composers."
"Then you do not like my music?"
"I do not say so. But if, instead of carrying musical principles to an
extreme--which takes you too far--you would simply try to arouse our
feelings, you would be better understood, unless indeed you have
Gambara |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart: understand it, for that matter. But I've been thinking all day
that I'd better tell you. Yesterday afternoon, while you and
Miss Gertrude were out driving, I had got the car in some sort of
shape again after the fire, and I went to the library to call Mr.
Innes to see it. I went into the living-room, where Miss Liddy
said he was, and half-way across to the library I heard him
talking to some one. He seemed to be walking up and down, and he
was in a rage, I can tell you."
"What did he say?"
"The first thing I heard was--excuse me, Miss Innes, but it's
what he said, `The damned rascal,' he said, `I'll see him in'--
The Circular Staircase |
