| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Footnote to History by Robert Louis Stevenson: I imply that the handful of whites were the true obstacle, not the
thousands of malcontent Samoans; for had the whites frankly
accepted Brandeis, the path of Germany was clear, and the end of
their policy, however troublesome might be its course, was obvious.
But this is not to say that the natives were content. In a sense,
indeed, their opposition was continuous. There will always be
opposition in Samoa when taxes are imposed; and the deportation of
Malietoa stuck in men's throats. Tuiatua Mataafa refused to act
under the new government from the beginning, and Tamasese usurped
his place and title. As early as February, I find him signing
himself "Tuiaana TUIATUA Tamasese," the first step on a dangerous
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Eve and David by Honore de Balzac: the town as if you were somebody! Angouleme and L'Houmeau are
disputing as to which shall twist wreaths for you."
"Eve, dear," Lucien whispered to his sister, "I am exactly in the same
condition as I was before in L'Houmeau when Mme. de Bargeton sent me
the first invitation--I have not a dress suit for the prefect's
dinner-party."
"Do you really mean to accept the invitation?" Eve asked in alarm, and
a dispute sprang up between the brother and sister. Eve's provincial
good sense told her that if you appear in society, it must be with a
smiling face and faultless costume. "What will come of the prefect's
dinner?" she wondered. "What has Lucien to do with the great people of
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Shadow Line by Joseph Conrad: him a request for a competent man to be sent out to
take command.
Apparently, in his mind, I was the man from the
first, though for the looks of the thing the notifica-
tion addressed to the Sailors' Home was general.
An agreement had already been prepared. He
gave it to me to read, and when I handed it back to
him with the remark that I accepted its terms, the
deputy-Neptune signed it, stamped it with his own
exalted hand, folded it in four (it was a sheet of
blue foolscap) and presented it to me--a gift of ex-
The Shadow Line |
