| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: Heidazaemon Taketsura, in the service of the Lord Kikuji, of Kyushu. This
Isogai had inherited, from many warlike ancestors, a natural aptitude for
military exercises, and extraordinary strength. While yet a boy he had
surpassed his teachers in the art of swordsmanship, in archery, and in the
use of the spear, and had displayed all the capacities of a daring and
skillful soldier. Afterwards, in the time of the Eikyo [1] war, he so
distinguished himself that high honors were bestowed upon him. But when the
house of Kikuji came to ruin, Isogai found himself without a master. He
might then easily have obtained service under another daimyo; but as he had
never sought distinction for his own sake alone, and as his heart remained
true to his former lord, he preferred to give up the world. so he cut off
Kwaidan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from 'Twixt Land & Sea by Joseph Conrad: to make money in every sort of petty way, but in such a business
there'll never be enough for anybody to come forward."
When my friend left me I had a conception of Jacobus and his
daughter existing, a lonely pair of castaways, on a desert island;
the girl sheltering in the house as if it were a cavern in a cliff,
and Jacobus going out to pick up a living for both on the beach -
exactly like two shipwrecked people who always hope for some
rescuer to bring them back at last into touch with the rest of
mankind.
But Jacobus's bodily reality did not fit in with this romantic
view. When he turned up on board in the usual course, he sipped
'Twixt Land & Sea |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The War in the Air by H. G. Wells: the zeal of the moment." He laughed confidentially. "Had 'em
worked for me--in Oxford. By a friend. Take 'em everywhere."
So Bert chose the pumps.
The lieutenant broke into a cheerful snigger. "Here we are
trying on slippers," he said, "and the world going by like a
panorama below. Rather a lark, eh? Look!"
Bert peeped with him out of the window, looking from the bright
pettiness of the red-and-silver cabin into a dark immensity. The
land below, except for a lake, was black and featureless, and the
other airships were hidden. "See more outside, " said the
lieutenant. "Let's go! There's a sort of little gallery."
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