| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories by Mark Twain: we are bound to confess that next to Mark Twain's "Jumping Frog"
it's the finest bit of humor and sarcasm that we've come across in many
a day.
(I do not get a compliment like that every day.)
I used to think that your writings were pretty good, but after reading
the criticism in THE GALAXY from the LONDON REVIEW, have discovered
what an ass I must have been. If suggestions are in order, mine is,
that you put that article in your next edition of the INNOCENTS,
as an extra chapter, if you are not afraid to put your own humor
in competition with it. It is as rich a thing as I ever read.
(Which is strong commendation from a book publisher.)
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Tanach: Psalms 55: 17 (55:18) Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I complain, and moan; and He hath heard my voice.
Psalms 55: 18 (55:19) He hath redeemed my soul in peace so that none came nigh me; for they were many that strove with me.
Psalms 55: 19 (55:20) God shall hear, and humble them, even He that is enthroned of old, Selah, such as have no changes, and fear not God.
Psalms 55: 20 (55:21) He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
Psalms 55: 21 (55:22) Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet were they keen-edged swords.
Psalms 55: 22 (55:23) Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain thee; He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalms 55: 23 (55:24) But Thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the nethermost pit; men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days; but as for me, I will trust in Thee.
Psalms 56: 1 (56:1) For the Leader; upon Jonath-elem-rehokim. A Psalm of David; Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath. (56:2) Be gracious unto me, O God, for man would swallow me up; all the day he fighting oppresseth me.
Psalms 56: 2 (56:3) They that lie in wait for me would swallow me up all the day; for they are many that fight against me, O Most High,
Psalms 56: 3 (56:4) In the day that I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.
The Tanach |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum: to reason and to argue very well indeed.
No one could expect a frog with these talents to remain in a hidden
pool, so he finally got out of it and mingled with the people of the
tableland, who were amazed at his appearance and greatly impressed by
his learning. They had never seen a frog before, and the frog had
never seen a Yip before, but as there were plenty of Yips and only one
frog, the frog became the most important. He did not hop any more,
but stood upright on his hind legs and dressed himself in fine clothes
and sat in chairs and did all the things that people do, so he soon
came to be called the Frogman, and that is the only name he has ever
had. After some years had passed, the people came to regard the
The Lost Princess of Oz |
