| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Soul of the Far East by Percival Lowell: embrasures on either hand the entrance in which stand the guardian
Nio, two colossal demons, Gog and Magog. Instead of capitals ,a
frieze bristling with Chinese lions protects the top of the pillars.
Above this in place of entablature rises tier upon tier of decoration,
each tier projecting beyond the one beneath, and the topmost of all
terminating in a balcony which encircles the whole second story.
The parapet of this balcony is one mass of ornament, and its cornice
another row of lions, brown instead of white. The second story is
no less crowded with carving. Twelve pillars make its ribs, the
spaces between being filled with elaborate woodwork, while on top
rest more friezes, more cornices, clustered with excrescences of all
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sophist by Plato: And man is a tame animal, and he may be hunted either by force or
persuasion;--either by the pirate, man-stealer, soldier, or by the lawyer,
orator, talker. The latter use persuasion, and persuasion is either
private or public. Of the private practitioners of the art, some bring
gifts to those whom they hunt: these are lovers. And others take hire;
and some of these flatter, and in return are fed; others profess to teach
virtue and receive a round sum. And who are these last? Tell me who?
Have we not unearthed the Sophist?
But he is a many-sided creature, and may still be traced in another line of
descent. The acquisitive art had a branch of exchange as well as of
hunting, and exchange is either giving or selling; and the seller is either
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery: Marilla. Diana and I have our playhouse there. We call it
Idlewild. Isn't that a poetical name? I assure you it took me
some time to think it out. I stayed awake nearly a whole night
before I invented it. Then, just as I was dropping off to sleep,
it came like an inspiration. Diana was ENRAPTURED when she heard
it. We have got our house fixed up elegantly. You must come and
see it, Marilla--won't you? We have great big stones, all
covered with moss, for seats, and boards from tree to tree for
shelves. And we have all our dishes on them. Of course, they're
all broken but it's the easiest thing in the world to imagine
that they are whole. There's a piece of a plate with a spray of
Anne of Green Gables |
