| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Euthydemus by Plato: advise you not to have any more public entertainments; there is a danger
that men may undervalue an art which they have so easy an opportunity of
acquiring; the exhibition would be best of all, if the discussion were
confined to your two selves; but if there must be an audience, let him only
be present who is willing to pay a handsome fee;--you should be careful of
this;--and if you are wise, you will also bid your disciples discourse with
no man but you and themselves. For only what is rare is valuable; and
'water,' which, as Pindar says, is the 'best of all things,' is also the
cheapest. And now I have only to request that you will receive Cleinias
and me among your pupils.
Such was the discussion, Crito; and after a few more words had passed
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Ivanhoe by Walter Scott: Rowena's present condition, she could not be acted
on either by argument or threats. He paced the
apartment to and fro, now vainly exhorting the
terrified maiden to compose herself, now hesitating
concerning his own line of conduct.
If, thought he, I should be moved by the tears
and sorrow of this disconsolate damsel, what should
I reap but the loss of these fair hopes for which I
have encountered so much risk, and the ridicule of
Prince John and his jovial comrades? ``And yet,''
he said to himself, ``I feel myself ill framed for
Ivanhoe |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain: very first big and real temptation, I--Edward, it is my belief that
this town's honesty is as rotten as mine is; as rotten as yours. It
is a mean town, a hard, stingy town, and hasn't a virtue in the
world but this honesty it is so celebrated for and so conceited
about; and so help me, I do believe that if ever the day comes that
its honesty falls under great temptation, its grand reputation will
go to ruin like a house of cards. There, now, I've made confession,
and I feel better; I am a humbug, and I've been one all my life,
without knowing it. Let no man call me honest again--I will not
have it."
"I-- Well, Mary, I feel a good deal as you do: I certainly do. It
The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg |
