| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: particles and pronouns, as they are of most frequent occurrence, are also
the most troublesome. Strictly speaking, except a few of the commonest of
them, 'and,' 'the,' etc., they ought not to occur twice in the same
sentence. But the Greek has no such precise rules; and hence any literal
translation of a Greek author is full of tautology. The tendency of modern
languages is to become more correct as well as more perspicuous than
ancient. And, therefore, while the English translator is limited in the
power of expressing relation or connexion, by the law of his own language
increased precision and also increased clearness are required of him. The
familiar use of logic, and the progress of science, have in these two
respects raised the standard. But modern languages, while they have become
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: perfectly trust my driver, and then I made myself easy and got used to it.
Jerry was as good a driver as I had ever known, and what was better,
he took as much thought for his horses as he did for himself.
He soon found out that I was willing to work and do my best,
and he never laid the whip on me unless it was gently drawing the end of it
over my back when I was to go on; but generally I knew this quite well
by the way in which he took up the reins, and I believe his whip
was more frequently stuck up by his side than in his hand.
In a short time I and my master understood each other as well
as horse and man can do. In the stable, too, he did all that he could
for our comfort. The stalls were the old-fashioned style,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Emma by Jane Austen: and every body admitted it to be no more than due decorum."--
Emma had promised; but still Harriet must be excepted. It was her
superior duty.
In spite of her vexation, she could not help feeling it almost ridiculous,
that she should have the very same distressing and delicate office to
perform by Harriet, which Mrs. Weston had just gone through by herself.
The intelligence, which had been so anxiously announced to her,
she was now to be anxiously announcing to another. Her heart beat
quick on hearing Harriet's footstep and voice; so, she supposed,
had poor Mrs. Weston felt when she was approaching Randalls.
Could the event of the disclosure bear an equal resemblance!--
Emma |
