| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Persuasion by Jane Austen: of the dowager Viscountess Dalrymple before her, had nothing to wish for
which did not seem within her reach; and Anne--but it would be
an insult to the nature of Anne's felicity, to draw any comparison
between it and her sister's; the origin of one all selfish vanity,
of the other all generous attachment.
Anne saw nothing, thought nothing of the brilliancy of the room.
Her happiness was from within. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks glowed;
but she knew nothing about it. She was thinking only of
the last half hour, and as they passed to their seats, her mind took
a hasty range over it. His choice of subjects, his expressions,
and still more his manner and look, had been such as she could see
Persuasion |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Phaedo by Plato: hardly believe that I was present at the death of a friend, and therefore I
did not pity him, Echecrates; he died so fearlessly, and his words and
bearing were so noble and gracious, that to me he appeared blessed. I
thought that in going to the other world he could not be without a divine
call, and that he would be happy, if any man ever was, when he arrived
there, and therefore I did not pity him as might have seemed natural at
such an hour. But I had not the pleasure which I usually feel in
philosophical discourse (for philosophy was the theme of which we spoke).
I was pleased, but in the pleasure there was also a strange admixture of
pain; for I reflected that he was soon to die, and this double feeling was
shared by us all; we were laughing and weeping by turns, especially the
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey: Such remarks always made his mind revolve round facts
pertaining to himself.
"Speakin' of this here swift wrist game," went on Euchre,
"there's been considerable talk in camp about your throwin' of
a gun. You know, Buck, thet among us fellers--us hunted
men--there ain't anythin' calculated to rouse respect like a
slick hand with a gun. I heard Bland say this afternoon--an' he
said it serious-like an' speculative--thet he'd never seen your
equal. He was watchin' of you close, he said, an' just couldn't
follow your hand when you drawed. All the fellers who seen you
meet Bosomer had somethin' to say. Bo was about as handy with a
The Lone Star Ranger |
