| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from War and the Future by H. G. Wells: the rest they are, by the French standards, quicksilver.
But I will not expand further upon the general impression made by
the English in France. Philippe Millet's /En Liaison avec les
Anglais/ gives in a series of delightful pictures portraits of
British types from the French angle. There can be little doubt
that the British quality, genial naive, plucky and generous, has
won for itself a real affection in France wherever it has had a
chance to display itself....
But when it comes to British methods then the polite Frenchman's
difficulties begin. Translating hints into statements and
guessing at reservations, I would say that the French fall very
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Edition of The Ambassadors by Henry James: up for that by being much more the right sort of thing to say to a
young man worthy of any advice at all. "There WOULD be some
reason."
"Some reason for what?"
"Why for hanging on here."
"To offer my hand and fortune to Mademoiselle de Vionnet?"
"Well," Strether asked, "to what lovelier apparition COULD you
offer them? She's the sweetest little thing I've ever seen."
"She's certainly immense. I mean she's the real thing. I believe
the pale pink petals are folded up there for some wondrous
efflorescence in time; to open, that is, to some great golden sun.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: exertion of their strength; their complexion was rose and white, their
eyes flashed sparks, their limbs writhed like cords in the fire; they
fell, sprang up again, and caught each other like athletes in a
circus, affording their father one of those moments of happiness which
would make amends for the keenest anxieties of a busy life. Two other
persons, one on the second and one on the first floor, were also
looking into the garden, and saying that the old madman was amusing
himself by making his children fight. Immediately a number of heads
appeared at the windows; the Marquis, noticing them, called a word to
his sons, who at once climbed up to the window and jumped into his
room, and Clement obtained the permission asked by Camille.
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