| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: over-early ripeness in their years, which fadeth
betimes. These are, first, such as have brittle wits,
the edge whereof is soon turned; such as was Her-
mogenes the rhetorician, whose books are exceed-
ing subtle; who afterwards waxed stupid. A second
sort, is of those that have some natural dispositions
which have better grace in youth, than in age;
such as is a fluent and luxuriant speech; which
becomes youth well, but not age: so Tully saith of
Hortensius, Idem manebat, neque idem decebat.
The third is of such, as take too high a strain at the
Essays of Francis Bacon |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from An Inland Voyage by Robert Louis Stevenson: gathering coppers and singing nonsense. Do you think I regret my
life? Do you think I would rather be a fat burgess, like a calf?
Not I! I have had moments when I have been applauded on the
boards: I think nothing of that; but I have known in my own mind
sometimes, when I had not a clap from the whole house, that I had
found a true intonation, or an exact and speaking gesture; and
then, messieurs, I have known what pleasure was, what it was to do
a thing well, what it was to be an artist. And to know what art
is, is to have an interest for ever, such as no burgess can find in
his petty concerns. TENEZ, MESSIEURS, JE VAIS VOUS LE DIRE - it is
like a religion.'
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Master Key by L. Frank Baum: his knees with perfect trust and impunity; the great actor who is
called before the curtain by admiring audiences is often waylaid at
the stage door by his creditors.
So Rob, having conversed for a time with the glorious Demon of
Electricity, began to regard him with more composure and less awe, as
his eyes grew more and more accustomed to the splendor that at first
had well-nigh blinded them.
When the Demon announced himself ready to do the boy's bidding, he
frankly replied:
"I am no skilled electrician, as you very well know. My calling you
here was an accident. So I don't know how to command you, nor what to
The Master Key |
