| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Contrast by Royall Tyler: The 'Contrast,' however, was the first to meet suc-
cessfully the critical judgment and approval of a pro-
fessional manager. This fact alone should redeem it
from the neglect and inattention it has heretofore met
with. Besides, it possesses considerable intrinsic merit,
and as an acting play will compare favorably with
many of the English comedies of the period; and
though, perhaps, meager in plot and incident, it is
bright, humorous, and natural; the dialogue is sparkling
with genuine wit; and its satire aimed at the evils and
follies of the time is keen and incisive. The contrast
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: give me a tongue of good report amongst posterity; and make me of
the heirs of the paradise of pleasure; and pardon my father, verily,
he is of those who err; and disgrace me not on the day when they are
raised up again; the day when wealth shall profit not, nor sons, but
only he who comes to God with a sound heart. And paradise shall be
brought near to the pious; and hell shall be brought forth to those
who go astray, and it shall be said to them, "Where is what ye used to
worship beside God? can they help you, or get help themselves?" And
they shall fall headlong into it, they and those who have gone astray,
and the hosts of Iblis all together!
'They shall say, while they quarrel therein, By God! we were
The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Prince of Bohemia by Honore de Balzac: was not loved; and indeed I was half-way between repentance and the
shame of going back. I read the newspapers, and saw that there was a
first night at the Varietes, and I thought you had meant to give the
dinner to a collaborator. Left to myself, I gave way, I dressed to
hurry out after you--poor pet.'
"Du Bruel looked at me triumphantly, not a vestige of a recollection
of his orations /contra Tullia/ in his mind.
" 'Well, dearest, I have not spoken to any one of them,' he said.
" 'How well we understand each other!' quoth she.
"Even as she uttered those bewildering sweet words, I caught sight of
something in her belt, the corner of a little note thrust sidewise
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