| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: some pieces of string, they improvised a standard, which Massarel
seized in both hands. Again, he advanced toward the house of
mayoralty, bearing the standard before him. When in front of the
door, he called out: "Monsieur de Varnetot!"
The door opened suddenly, and M. de Varnetot and the three guards
appeared on the threshold. The doctor recoiled, instinctively.
Then, he saluted his enemy courteously, and announced, almost
strangled by emotion: "I have come, sir, to communicate to you
the instructions I have just received."
That gentleman, without any salutation whatever, replied: "I am
going to withdraw, sir, but you must understand that it is not
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: modifications inevitable to the production of higher moral types,-- though
his general statement in regard to a perfected nervous system, and a great
diminution of human fertility, suggests that such moral evolution would
signify a very considerable amount of physical change. If it be legitimate
to believe in a future humanity to which the pleasure of mutual beneficence
will represent the whole joy of life, would it not also be legitimate to
imagine other transformations, physical and moral, which the facts of
insect-biology have proved to be within the range of evolutional
possibility?... I do not know. I most worshipfully reverence Herbert
Spencer as the greatest philosopher who has yet appeared in this world; and
I should be very sorry to write down anything contrary to his teaching, in
Kwaidan |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: said: Let us bid 'good-bye' to the discussion, since we cannot agree
whether these things are useful and a part of wealth or not. But what
shall we say to another question: Which is the happier and better man,--he
who requires the greatest quantity of necessaries for body and diet, or he
who requires only the fewest and least? The answer will perhaps become
more obvious if we suppose some one, comparing the man himself at different
times, to consider whether his condition is better when he is sick or when
he is well?
CRITIAS: That is not a question which needs much consideration.
SOCRATES: Probably, I said, every one can understand that health is a
better condition than disease. But when have we the greatest and the most
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