| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The American by Henry James: in the barber's window. He was an exquisite image of shabby gentility.
His scant ill-made coat, desperately brushed, his darned gloves,
his highly polished boots, his rusty, shapely hat, told the story
of a person who had "had losses" and who clung to the spirit
of nice habits even though the letter had been hopelessly effaced.
Among other things M. Nioche had lost courage. Adversity had not only
ruined him, it had frightened him, and he was evidently going through
his remnant of life on tiptoe, for fear of waking up the hostile fates.
If this strange gentleman was saying anything improper to his daughter,
M. Nioche would entreat him huskily, as a particular favor, to forbear;
but he would admit at the same time that he was very presumptuous
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: woman weaving rainbow illusions; the ugly, clear-sighted, loving
son sitting at her side in one of his rare hours of pleasure, half-
beguiled, half-amused, wholly admiring, as he listens. But as he
goes home, and the fancy pictures fade, and Stowting is once more
burthened with debt, and the noisy companions and the long hours of
drudgery once more approach, no wonder if the dirty green seems all
the dirtier or if Atlas must resume his load.
But in healthy natures, this time of moral teething passes quickly
of itself, and is easily alleviated by fresh interests; and
already, in the letter to Frank Scott, there are two words of hope:
his friends in London, his love for his profession. The last might
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Complete Angler by Izaak Walton: across the water or against a stream; and if it do not turn nimbly, then
turn the tail a little to the right or left hand, and try again, till it turn
quick; for if not, you are in danger to catch nothing: for know, that it is
impossible that it should turn too quick. And you are yet to know, that
in case you want a minnow, then a small loach, or a stickle-bag, or any
other small fish that will turn quick, will serve as well. And you are yet
to know that you may salt them, and by that means keep them ready and
fit for use three or four days, or longer; and that, of salt, bay-salt is the
best.
And here let me tell you, what many old anglers know right well, that at
some times, and in some waters, a minnow is not to be got; and
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