| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Memories and Portraits by Robert Louis Stevenson: vantage-ground of age, to deal these stunning corrections among the
coxcombs of the young. The pill is disguised in sugar of wit; it
is administered as a compliment - if you had not pleased, you would
not have been censured; it is a personal affair - a hyphen, A TRAIT
D'UNION, between you and your censor; age's philandering, for her
pleasure and your good. Incontestably the young man feels very
much of a fool; but he must be a perfect Malvolio, sick with self-
love, if he cannot take an open buffet and still smile. The
correction of silence is what kills; when you know you have
transgressed, and your friend says nothing and avoids your eye. If
a man were made of gutta-percha, his heart would quail at such a
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: "Why, indeed! Don't be a fool! You know if he marries her she'll
roll in wealth," said Korableva.
"He says, 'Wherever they take you, I'll follow,'" said Maslova.
"If he does, it's well; if he does not, well also. I am not going
to ask him to. Now he is going to try and arrange the matter in
Petersburg. He is related to all the Ministers there. But, all
the same, I have no need of him," she continued.
"Of course not," suddenly agreed Korableva, evidently thinking
about something else as she sat examining her bag. "Well, shall
we have a drop?"
"You have some," replied Maslova. "I won't."
Resurrection |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: strong that it naturally inspires a feeling of terror. I am absurd, I
know; forgive me, dear."
A few moments later the marquise departed; as she watched her go the
princess said to herself:--
"How she will pluck me! But to save her the trouble of trying to get
Daniel away from here I'll send him to her."
At three o'clock, or a few moments after, d'Arthez arrived. In the
midst of some interesting topic on which he was discoursing
eloquently, the princess suddenly cut him short by laying her hand on
his arm.
"Pardon me, my dear friend," she said, interrupting him, "but I fear I
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