| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde: considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, I think you
might work harder. Idleness is a great sin, and I certainly don't
like any of my friends to be idle or sluggish. You must not mind
my speaking quite plainly to you. Of course I should not dream of
doing so if I were not your friend. But what is the good of
friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means? Anybody can
say charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true
friend always says unpleasant things, and does not mind giving
pain. Indeed, if he is a really true friend he prefers it, for he
knows that then he is doing good.'
"'I am very sorry,' said little Hans, rubbing his eyes and pulling
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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: of speech or conduct,[45] may well be honoured, even as Cheiron and
Phoenix[46] were honoured by Achilles. But what can he expect, who
stretches forth an eager hand to clutch the body, save to be
treated[47] as a beggar? That is his character; for ever cringing and
petitioning a kiss, or some other soft caress,[48] this sorry suitor
dogs his victims.
[45] Phoenix addresses Achilles, "Il." ix. 443:
{muthon te reter' emenai, prektera te ergon}
Therefore sent he (Peleus) me to thee to teach thee all things,
To be both a speaker of words and a doer of deeds (W. Leaf).
[46] See "Il." xi. 831; "Hunting," ch. i., as to Cheiron and his
The Symposium |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Heroes by Charles Kingsley: near the Isle of Ierne. (7) Unless you will cling to the
land, and sail southward and southward for ever, I shall
wander beyond the Atlantic, to the ocean which has no shore.'
Then they blest the magic bough, and sailed southward along
the land. But ere they could pass Ierne, the land of mists
and storms, the wild wind came down, dark and roaring, and
caught the sail, and strained the ropes. And away they drove
twelve nights, on the wide wild western sea, through the
foam, and over the rollers, while they saw neither sun nor
stars. And they cried again, 'We shall perish, for we know
not where we are. We are lost in the dreary damp darkness,
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