| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Dynamiter by Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Stevenson: a cold collation of the rarest delicacy. The two gentlemen
had finished supper, and were now trifling with cigars and
maraschino; while in a silver spirit lamp, coffee of the most
captivating fragrance was preparing in the fashion of the
East. The elder of the two, he who had first arrived, was
placed directly facing me; the other was set on his left
hand. Both, like the man in the butler's pantry, seemed to
be intently listening; and on the face of the second I
thought I could perceive the marks of fear. Oddly enough,
however, when they came to speak, the parts were found to be
reversed.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Underground City by Jules Verne: necessity for interposing between the flame and the surrounding air
that metallic screen which prevents the gas from catching fire.
The Davy lamp was of no use here. But if the danger did not exist,
it was because the cause of it had disappeared, and with this cause,
the combustible in which formerly consisted the riches of the Dochart pit.
Harry descended the first steps of the upper ladder.
Starr followed. They soon found themselves in a profound obscurity,
which was only relieved by the glimmer of the lamp.
The young man held it above his head, the better to light
his companion. A dozen ladders were descended by the engineer
and his guide, with the measured step habitual to the miner.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: it naturally belongs.
Crit. Yes, the case is to the point, I think, and does involve another
economic principle.
Soc. What, then, if I exhibit to you a third contrast, which bears on
the condition of domestic slaves? On the one side you shall see them
fettered hard and fast, as I may say, and yet for ever breaking their
chains and running away. On the other side the slaves are loosed, and
free to move, but for all that, they choose to work, it seems; they
are constant to their masters. I think you will admit that I here
point out another function of economy[4] worth noting.
[4] Or, "economical result."
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