| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Vailima Letters by Robert Louis Stevenson: the rich piping of a single bird. You can't conceive what a
relief this is; it seems a new world. She has such
extraordinary recuperative power that I do hope for the best.
I am as tired as man can be. This is a great trial to a
family, and I thank God it seems as if ours was going to bear
it well. And O! if it only lets up, it will be but a
pleasant memory. We are all seedy, bar Lloyd: Fanny, as per
above; self nearly extinct; Belle, utterly overworked and bad
toothache; Cook, down with a bad foot; Butler, prostrate with
a bad leg. Eh, what a faim'ly!
SUNDAY.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Reign of King Edward the Third by William Shakespeare: The imperial victory of murdering death,
Since all the lives his conquering arrows strike
Seek him, and he not them, to shame his glory!
I will not give a penny for a life,
Nor half a halfpenny to shun grim death,
Since for to live is but to seek to die,
And dying but beginning of new life.
Let come the hour when he that rules it will!
To live or die I hold indifferent.
[Exeunt.]
ACT IV. SCENE V. The same. The French Camp.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Hellenica by Xenophon: of the citizens, suffered him to enter. That done, Dercylidas offered
sacrifice to Athena in the citadel of the Scepsians, turned out the
bodyguards of Meidias, and handed over the city to the citizens. And
so, having admonished them to regulate their civic life as Hellenes
and free men ought, he left the place and continued his advance
against Gergithes. On this last march he was escorted by many of the
Scepsians themselves; such was the honour they paid him and so great
their satisfaction at his exploits. Meidias also followed close at his
side, petitioning that he would hand over the city of Gergithians to
himself. To whom Dercylidas only made reply, that he should not fail
to obtain any of his just rights. And whilst the words were yet upon
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