| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: This is one of the most remarkable speeches ever made by a
President. Washington was never more dignified; Jackson was never
more peremptory.
The President's spirit of forgiveness was broad enough to take in
the entire South. The cause of the Confederacy had been doomed
from the hour of his reelection. The cheering of the troops which
greeted the news had been heard within the lines at Richmond, and
the besieged town lost hope, though it continued the struggle
bravely if desperately. Although Horace Greeley's peace mission
to Canada had come to nothing, and other volunteer efforts in the
same direction served only to call forth a declaration from
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Captain Stormfield by Mark Twain: you hear about it in the pulpit, but it's as poor a way to put in
valuable time as a body could contrive. It would just make a
heaven of warbling ignoramuses, don't you see? Eternal Rest sounds
comforting in the pulpit, too. Well, you try it once, and see how
heavy time will hang on your hands. Why, Stormfield, a man like
you, that had been active and stirring all his life, would go mad
in six months in a heaven where he hadn't anything to do. Heaven
is the very last place to come to REST in, - and don't you be
afraid to bet on that!"
Says I -
"Sam, I'm as glad to hear it as I thought I'd be sorry. I'm glad I
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Melmoth Reconciled by Honore de Balzac: and reappear in the shape of alarming totals on invoices that fill the
soul with their horrid clamor; they are in urgent want of the money;
they are, as you may say on the brink of bankruptcy, their tears flow,
it is heartrending to hear them! And then----the gulf yawns, and gives
up serried columns of figures marching four deep, when as a matter of
fact they should have issued innocently three by three.
Before Castanier had any idea of how much he had spent, he had
arranged for Aquilina to have a carriage from a livery stable when she
went out, instead of a cab. Castanier was a gourmand; he engaged an
excellent cook; and Aquilina, to please him, had herself made the
purchases of early fruit and vegetables, rare delicacies, and
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