| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lucile by Owen Meredith: That the secret, unknown, had gone down to the tomb
Into which I descend . . . Oh why, whilst there was room
In life left for warning, had no one the heart
To warn me? Had any one whisper'd . . . "Depart!"
To the hope the whole world seem'd in league then to nurse!
Had any one hinted . . . "Beware of the curse
Which is coming!" There was not a voice raised to tell,
Not a hand moved to warn from the blow ere it fell,
And then . . . then the blow fell on BOTH! This is why
I implore you to pardon that great injury
Wrought on her, and, through her, wrought on you, Heaven knows
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: but with the utmost coolness and without mishap the girl completed her
performance.
[21] See Becker, "Char." p. 101. Cf. Plat. "Symp." 190; "Euthyd." 294.
Here Socrates, appealing to Antisthenes: None of the present company,
I take it, who have watched this spectacle will ever again deny that
courage can be taught,[22] when the girl there, woman should she be,
rushes so boldly into the midst of swords.
[22] Cf. "Mem." III. ix. 1.
He, thus challenged, answered: No; and what our friend, the Syracusan
here, should do is to exhibit his dancing-girl to the state.[23] Let
him tell the authorities he is prepared, for a consideration, to give
The Symposium |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Wheels of Chance by H. G. Wells: and put the thing down again. Then he had a vague impulse to
finger his hollow wisdom tooth--happily checked. He suddenly
discovered he was standing as if the table was a counter, and sat
down forthwith. He drummed with his hand on the table. He felt
dreadfully hot and self-conscious.
"Breakfast is late," said Jessie, standing up.
"Isn't it?"
Conversation was slack. Jessie wanted to know the distance to
Ringwood. Then silence fell again.
Mr. Hoopdriver, very uncomfortable and studying an easy bearing,
looked again at the breakfast things and then idly lifted the
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