| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: Forbes speaks confidently that shells at their southern limit, and when
living in shallow water, are more brightly coloured than those of the same
species further north or from greater depths. Gould believes that birds of
the same species are more brightly coloured under a clear atmosphere, than
when living on islands or near the coast. So with insects, Wollaston is
convinced that residence near the sea affects their colours. Moquin-Tandon
gives a list of plants which when growing near the sea-shore have their
leaves in some degree fleshy, though not elsewhere fleshy. Several other
such cases could be given.
The fact of varieties of one species, when they range into the zone of
habitation of other species, often acquiring in a very slight degree some
On the Origin of Species |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Collection of Antiquities by Honore de Balzac: home of his forefathers, with the air that he breathed; then he flung
out a most melancholy exclamation.
"Chesnel," he said, "we will come back again some day when the
troubles are over; I could not bring myself to live here until the
edict of pacification has been published; THEY will not allow me to
set my scutcheon on the wall."
He waved his hand toward the castle, mounted his horse, and rode back
beside his sister, who had driven over in the notary's shabby basket-
chaise.
The Hotel d'Esgrignon in the town had been demolished; a couple of
factories now stood on the site of the aristocrat's house. So Maitre
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Prufrock/Other Observations by T. S. Eliot: Which opens on her like a grin.
You see the border of her dress
Is torn and stained with sand,
And you see the corner of her eye
Twists like a crooked pin."
The memory throws up high and dry
A crowd of twisted things;
A twisted branch upon the beach
Eaten smooth, and polished
As if the world gave up
The secret of its skeleton,
Prufrock/Other Observations |
