| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: ERYXIAS: We do.
SOCRATES: Then if these arts are reckoned among things useful, the arts
are wealth for the same reason as gold and silver are, for, clearly, the
possession of them gives wealth. Yet a little while ago we found it
difficult to accept the argument which proved that the wisest are the
wealthiest. But now there seems no escape from this conclusion. Suppose
that we are asked, 'Is a horse useful to everybody?' will not our reply be,
'No, but only to those who know how to use a horse?'
ERYXIAS: Certainly.
SOCRATES: And so, too, physic is not useful to every one, but only to him
who knows how to use it?
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: deliver to him at once a letter of the utmost importance.
The general-secretary went up to a lamp and read a note thus worded:--
Contrary to my custom, I am waiting in your ante-chamber to see
you; you have not a moment to lose if you wish to come to terms
with
Your obedient servant,
Gobseck.
The secretary shuddered when he saw the signature, which we regret we
cannot give in fac-simile, for it would be valuable to those who like
to guess character from what may be called the physiognomy of
signature. If ever a hieroglyphic sign expressed an animal, it was
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Familiar Studies of Men and Books by Robert Louis Stevenson: hath sent great comfort unto both." (2) We can gather from
such letters as are yet extant how close and continuous was
their intercourse. "I think it best you remain till the
morrow," he writes once, "and so shall we commune at large at
afternoon. This day you know to be the day of my study and
prayer unto God; yet if your trouble be intolerable, or, if
you think my presence may release your pain, do as the Spirit
shall move you. . . . Your messenger found me in bed, after a
sore trouble and most dolorous night, and so dolour may
complain to dolour when we two meet. . . . And this is more
plain than ever I spoke, to let you know you have a companion
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