| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: in his carriage, that had ever entered the gates of Strasburg--that as he
rode, with scymetar slung loosely to his wrist, thro' the streets--and
walked with his crimson-sattin breeches across the parade--'twas with so
sweet an air of careless modesty, and so manly withal--as would have put
the heart in jeopardy (had his nose not stood in his way) of every virgin
who had cast her eyes upon him.
I call not upon that heart which is a stranger to the throbs and yearnings
of curiosity, so excited, to justify the abbess of Quedlingberg, the
prioress, the deaness, and sub-chantress, for sending at noon-day for the
trumpeter's wife: she went through the streets of Strasburg with her
husband's trumpet in her hand,--the best apparatus the straitness of the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: experience.--I feel myself so languid that I am sure were you
with me you would oblige me to leave off writing, and I cannot
give you a greater proof of my affection for you than by acting,
as I know you would wish me to do, whether Absent or Present. I
am my dear Emmas sincere freind
E. L.
LETTER the NINTH
Mrs MARLOWE to Miss LUTTERELL
Grosvenor Street, April 10th
Need I say my dear Eloisa how wellcome your letter was to me I
cannot give a greater proof of the pleasure I received from it,
Love and Friendship |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Apology by Plato: is another mistaken notion:--he has nothing to teach. But he commends
Evenus for teaching virtue at such a 'moderate' rate as five minae.
Something of the 'accustomed irony,' which may perhaps be expected to sleep
in the ear of the multitude, is lurking here.
He then goes on to explain the reason why he is in such an evil name. That
had arisen out of a peculiar mission which he had taken upon himself. The
enthusiastic Chaerephon (probably in anticipation of the answer which he
received) had gone to Delphi and asked the oracle if there was any man
wiser than Socrates; and the answer was, that there was no man wiser. What
could be the meaning of this--that he who knew nothing, and knew that he
knew nothing, should be declared by the oracle to be the wisest of men?
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