| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: all things, my dear Catherine, do not be in a hurry.
Take my word for it, that if you are in too great a hurry,
you will certainly live to repent it. Tilney says there
is nothing people are so often deceived in as the state
of their own affections, and I believe he is very right.
Ah! Here he comes; never mind, he will not see us,
I am sure."
Catherine, looking up, perceived Captain Tilney;
and Isabella, earnestly fixing her eye on him as she spoke,
soon caught his notice. He approached immediately,
and took the seat to which her movements invited him.
Northanger Abbey |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Wyoming by William MacLeod Raine: and struck her lover's heart.
"I must," he answered. "I gave him my word, y'u remember."
"But why keep it? You know what he is, how absolutely devoid of
honor."
"That is not quite the question, is it?" he smiled.
"Would he keep his word to you?"
"Not if a lie would do as well. But that isn't the point,
either."
"It's quixotic--foolish--worse than that--ridiculous," she
implored.
"Perhaps, but the fact remains that I am pledged."
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Alcibiades II by Platonic Imitator: nothing, unless the argument has played us false.
ALCIBIADES: But I do not think that it has, Socrates: at least, if the
argument is fallacious, it would be difficult for me to find another which
I could trust.
SOCRATES: And you are right in thinking so.
ALCIBIADES: Well, that is my opinion.
SOCRATES: But tell me, by Heaven:--you must see now the nature and
greatness of the difficulty in which you, like others, have your part. For
you change about in all directions, and never come to rest anywhere: what
you once most strongly inclined to suppose, you put aside again and quite
alter your mind. If the God to whose shrine you are going should appear at
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