| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: It is frequently obscure; like the exercise of a student, it is full of
small imitations of Plato:--Phaeax returning from an expedition to Sicily
(compare Socrates in the Charmides from the army at Potidaea), the figure
of the game at draughts, borrowed from the Republic, etc. It has also in
many passages the ring of sophistry. On the other hand, the rather
unhandsome treatment which is exhibited towards Prodicus is quite unlike
the urbanity of Plato.
Yet there are some points in the argument which are deserving of attention.
(1) That wealth depends upon the need of it or demand for it, is the first
anticipation in an abstract form of one of the great principles of modern
political economy, and the nearest approach to it to be found in an ancient
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Don Quixote by Miquel de Cervantes: "That will do, brother," said Sancho; "consider you have painted her
from head to foot; what is it you want now? Come to the point
without all this beating about the bush, and all these scraps and
additions."
"I want your worship, senor," said the farmer, "to do me the
favour of giving me a letter of recommendation to the girl's father,
begging him to be so good as to let this marriage take place, as we
are not ill-matched either in the gifts of fortune or of nature; for
to tell the truth, senor governor, my son is possessed of a devil, and
there is not a day but the evil spirits torment him three or four
times; and from having once fallen into the fire, he has his face
Don Quixote |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: What's to stop them? There's a military post three hundred miles
from here.' `Well, upon my word,' said I, `perhaps you had
better go if you have any friends amongst the savages near by.'
`Plenty,' he said. `They are simple people--and I want nothing,
you know.' He stood biting his lip, then: `I don't want any harm
to happen to these whites here, but of course I was thinking of
Mr. Kurtz's reputation--but you are a brother seaman and--' `All right,'
said I, after a time. `Mr. Kurtz's reputation is safe with me.'
I did not know how truly I spoke.
"He informed me, lowering his voice, that it was Kurtz
who had ordered the attack to be made on the steamer.
Heart of Darkness |
