| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from An International Episode by Henry James: that Bessie Alden, when he struck her as dull, devoted some time,
on grounds of conscience, to trying to like him more.
I say on grounds of conscience because she felt that he had
been extremely "nice" to her sister, and because she reflected
that it was no more than fair that she should think as well
of him as he thought of her. This effort was possibly sometimes
not so successful as it might have been, for the result
of it was occasionally a vague irritation, which expressed
itself in hostile criticism of several British institutions.
Bessie Alden went to some entertainments at which she met
Lord Lambeth; but she went to others at which his lordship was
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Bucky O'Connor by William MacLeod Raine: "Young man, I want you."
The lieutenant whirled like a streak of lightning, finger on
trigger already. "I'll trouble you for yore warrant, seh," he
retorted.
The man confronting him was the big cattleman who had entered the
Silver Dollar in time to see O'Connor's victory over the showman.
Now he stood serenely under Bucky's gun and laughed.
"Put up your .45, my friend. It's a peaceable conference I want
with you."
The level eyes of the young man fastened on those of the
cattleman, and, before he spoke again, were satisfied. For both
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Laches by Plato: rushes hither straight, and exhibits at Athens; and this is natural.
Whereas I perceive that these fighters in armour regard Lacedaemon as a
sacred inviolable territory, which they do not touch with the point of
their foot; but they make a circuit of the neighbouring states, and would
rather exhibit to any others than to the Spartans; and particularly to
those who would themselves acknowledge that they are by no means firstrate
in the arts of war. Further, Lysimachus, I have encountered a good many of
these gentlemen in actual service, and have taken their measure, which I
can give you at once; for none of these masters of fence have ever been
distinguished in war,--there has been a sort of fatality about them; while
in all other arts the men of note have been always those who have practised
|
