| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Democracy In America, Volume 1 by Alexis de Toqueville: danger.
The omnipotence of the majority appears to me to present
such extreme perils to the American Republics that the dangerous
measure which is used to repress it seems to be more advantageous
than prejudicial. And here I am about to advance a proposition
which may remind the reader of what I said before in speaking of
municipal freedom: There are no countries in which associations
are more needed, to prevent the despotism of faction or the
arbitrary power of a prince, than those which are democratically
constituted. In aristocratic nations the body of the nobles and
the more opulent part of the community are in themselves natural
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson: These low hillocks and shallow dells, running one into another,
became a kind of cloak of darkness for my enthralling, but perhaps
dishonourable, pursuit. Yet, in spite of this advantage, I could
learn but little of Northmour or his guests.
Fresh provisions were brought under cover of darkness by the old
woman from the mansion-house. Northmour, and the young lady,
sometimes together, but more often singly, would walk for an hour
or two at a time on the beach beside the quicksand. I could not
but conclude that this promenade was chosen with an eye to secrecy;
for the spot was open only to the seaward. But it suited me not
less excellently; the highest and most accidented of the sand-hills
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer: Then Menelaus, of the loud war cry, answered him:
'Telemachus, as for me, I will not hold thee a long time
here, that art eager to return; nay, I think it shame even
in another host, who loves overmuch or hates overmuch.
Measure is best in all things. He does equal wrong who
speeds a guest that would fain abide, and stays one who is
in haste to be gone. Men should lovingly entreat the
present guest and speed the parting. But abide till I bring
fair gifts and set them on the car and thine own eyes
behold them, and I bid the women to prepare the midday meal
in the halls, out of the good store they have within.
The Odyssey |
