| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Pagan and Christian Creeds by Edward Carpenter: pride of Civilization (!) we like to jeer at the pettinesses
of tribal life--that these elder people perceived as a matter
of fact and direct consciousness the redeeming presence
(within each unit-member of the group) of the larger life
to which he belonged. This larger life was a reality--
"a Presence to be felt and known"; and whether he
called it by the name of a Totem-animal, or by the name
of a Nature-divinity, or by the name of some gracious
human-limbed God--some Hercules, Mithra, Attis, Orpheus,
or what-not--or even by the great name of Humanity
itself, it was still in any case the Saviour, the living
Pagan and Christian Creeds |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Captain Stormfield by Mark Twain: are better, of course - people that were never heard of on earth -
but Charles is making a very good reputation indeed, and is
considered a rising man. Richard the Lion-hearted is in the prize-
ring, and coming into considerable favor. Henry the Eighth is a
tragedian, and the scenes where he kills people are done to the
very life. Henry the Sixth keeps a religious-book stand."
"Did you ever see Napoleon, Sandy?"
"Often - sometimes in the Corsican range, sometimes in the French.
He always hunts up a conspicuous place, and goes frowning around
with his arms folded and his field-glass under his arm, looking as
grand, gloomy and peculiar as his reputation calls for, and very
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde: he stopped himself. He shouted with amusement, and ran forward,
and reached out his hand, and the hand of the monster touched his,
and it was as cold as ice. He grew afraid, and moved his hand
across, and the monster's hand followed it quickly. He tried to
press on, but something smooth and hard stopped him. The face of
the monster was now close to his own, and seemed full of terror.
He brushed his hair off his eyes. It imitated him. He struck at
it, and it returned blow for blow. He loathed it, and it made
hideous faces at him. He drew back, and it retreated.
What is it? He thought for a moment, and looked round at the rest
of the room. It was strange, but everything seemed to have its
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