| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Sanitary and Social Lectures by Charles Kingsley: heroic; that the spirit of man triumphed most utterly over his
circumstances at the very moment when those circumstances were
most against him.
How and why he did so is a question for philosophy in the highest
sense of that word. The fact of his having done so is matter of
history. Shall I solve my own riddle?
Then, have we not heard of the early Christian martyrs? Is there
a doubt that they, unlettered men, slaves, weak women, even
children, did exhibit, under an infinite sense of duty, issuing in
infinite self-sacrifice, a heroism such as the world had never
seen before; did raise the ideal of human nobleness a whole stage-
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: "why don't you go to bed? It is eight o'clock, and you have to be up
at five; besides, you must carry home to-night President de Thou's cap
and mantle. All three of you had better go, and take your sticks and
rapiers; and then, if you meet scamps like yourselves, at least you'll
be in force."
"Are we going to take the ermine surcoat the young queen has ordered
to be sent to the hotel des Soissons? there's an express going from
there to Blois for the queen-mother," said one of the clerks.
"No," said his master, "the queen-mother's bill amounts to three
thousand crowns; it is time to get the money, and I am going to Blois
myself very soon."
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas: "That is my opinion," said Aramis.
"You will not reply, however, and these gentlemen, I am
sure, will presently be of my opinion."
Aramis shook his head with a motion of indescribable
insolence.
Chatillon saw the motion and put his hand to his sword.
"Willingly," replied De Chatillon.
"Duke," said Flamarens, "you forget that to-morrow you are
to command an expedition of the greatest importance,
projected by the prince, assented to by the queen. Until
to-morrow evening you are not at your own disposal."
Twenty Years After |
