| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Fisherman's Luck by Henry van Dyke: Then I abandoned all theories and went straight through my book,
trying something from every page, and winding up with that lure
which the guides consider infallible,--"a Jock o' Scott that cost
fifty cents at Quebec." But it was all in vain. I was ready to
despair.
At this psychological moment I heard behind me a voice of hope,--the
song of a grasshopper: not one of those fat-legged, green-winged
imbeciles that feebly tumble in the summer fields, but a game
grasshopper,--one of those thin-shanked, brown-winged fellows that
leap like kangaroos, and fly like birds, and sing KRI-KAREE-KAREE-
KRI in their flight.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: neither be the first nor the best turban that I have couched
lance at."
"Ay, but methinks the Soldan might regard it as too unequal a
mode of perilling the chance of a royal bride and the event of a
great war," said the Emir.
"He may be met with in the front of battle," said the knight, his
eyes gleaming with the ideas which such a thought inspired.
"He has been ever found there," said Ilderim; "nor is it his wont
to turn his horse's head from any brave encounter. But it was
not of the Soldan that I meant to speak. In a word, if it will
content thee to be placed in such reputation as may be attained
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: jealousy of the court and caused his judges all the more to record
their votes against him. Yet even so I look upon the lot of destiny
which he obtained as providential,[58] chancing as he did upon the
easiest amidst the many shapes of death,[59] and escaping as he did
the one grievous portion of existence. And what a glorious chance,
moreover, he had to display the full strength of his soul, for when
once he had decided that death was better for him than life, just as
in the old days he had never harshly opposed himself to the good
things of life morosely,[60] so even in face of death he showed no
touch of weakness, but with gaiety welcomed death's embrace, and
discharged life's debt.
The Apology |
