| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells: a god among the heathen--a false god no doubt, and blasphemous,
but one can't always pick and choose.
"Now, I don't want to crack myself up as a god beyond my merits,
but I must confess that while I was god to these people they was
extraordinary successful. I don't say there's anything in it,
mind you. They won a battle with another tribe--I got a lot of
offerings I didn't want through it--they had wonderful fishing,
and their crop of pourra was exceptional fine. And they counted
the capture of the brig among the benefits I brought 'em. I must
say I don't think that was a poor record for a perfectly new hand.
And, though perhaps you'd scarcely credit it, I was the tribal god
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Familiar Studies of Men and Books by Robert Louis Stevenson: think, then, that I have no just authority?" The question
was evaded. "Please your Majesty," he answered, "that
learned men in all ages have had their judgments free, and
most commonly disagreeing from the common judgment of the
world; such also have they published by pen and tongue; and
yet notwithstanding they themselves have lived in the common
society with others, and have borne patiently with the errors
and imperfections which they could not amend." Thus did
"Plato the philosopher:" thus will do John Knox. "I have
communicated my judgment to the world: if the realm finds no
inconvenience from the regiment of a woman, that which they
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Sarrasine by Honore de Balzac: Parliament; but Heaven had not that joy in store for the attorney.
Young Sarrasine, entrusted to the care of the Jesuits at an early age,
gave indications of an extraordinarily unruly disposition. His was the
childhood of a man of talent. He would not study except as his
inclination led him, often rebelled, and sometimes remained for whole
hours at a time buried in tangled meditations, engaged now in watching
his comrades at play, now in forming mental pictures of Homer's
heroes. And, when he did choose to amuse himself, he displayed
extraordinary ardor in his games. Whenever there was a contest of any
sort between a comrade and himself, it rarely ended without bloodshed.
If he were the weaker, he would use his teeth. Active and passive by
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