| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Theaetetus by Plato: Method: it has not the necessity of Mathematics: it does not, like
Metaphysic, argue from abstract notions or from internal coherence. It is
made up of scattered observations. A few of these, though they may
sometimes appear to be truisms, are of the greatest value, and free from
all doubt. We are conscious of them in ourselves; we observe them working
in others; we are assured of them at all times. For example, we are
absolutely certain, (a) of the influence exerted by the mind over the body
or by the body over the mind: (b) of the power of association, by which
the appearance of some person or the occurrence of some event recalls to
mind, not always but often, other persons and events: (c) of the effect of
habit, which is strongest when least disturbed by reflection, and is to the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Koran: There! for that ye did rejoice in the land without right; and for
that ye did exult; enter ye the gates of hell, to dwell therein for
aye; for evil is the resort of those who are too big with pride!
But be thou patient; verily, the promise of God is true; and whether
we show thee a part of what we promised them, or whether we surely
take thee to ourself, unto us shall they be returned.
And we did send apostles before thee: of them are some whose stories
we have related to thee, and of them are some whose stories we have
not related to thee; and no apostle might ever bring a sign except
by the permission of God; but when God's bidding came it was decided
with truth, and there were those lost who deemed it vain!
The Koran |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: mademoiselle, permit me to hope that you will not be insensible to my
friendship--for that sentiment must content me, must it not?" he added
with a conceited air.
"Ah! diviner!" she said, putting on the gay expression a woman assumes
when she makes an avowal which compromises neither her dignity nor her
secret sentiments.
Then, having slipped on a pelisse, she accompanied him as far as the
Nid-aux-Crocs. When they reached the end of the path she said,
"Monsieur, be absolutely silent on all this; even to the marquis"; and
she laid her finger on both lips.
The count, emboldened by so much kindness, took her hand; she let him
The Chouans |
