| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: nothing of it either way, cried Dr. Slop.--The trampling over head near my
mother's bed-side increased.--Pox take the fellow! I shall never get the
knots untied as long as I live.--My mother gave a groan.--Lend me your
penknife--I must e'en cut the knots at last--pugh!--psha!--Lord! I have
cut my thumb quite across to the very bone--curse the fellow--if there was
not another man-midwife within fifty miles--I am undone for this bout--I
wish the scoundrel hang'd--I wish he was shot--I wish all the devils in
hell had him for a blockhead!--
My father had a great respect for Obadiah, and could not bear to hear him
disposed of in such a manner--he had moreover some little respect for
himself--and could as ill bear with the indignity offered to himself in it.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Camille by Alexandre Dumas: this sum now, and later on whatever I might need. I accepted it,
for, coming from your father, it could not be exactly taking
alms. If I am dead when you come back, show your father what I
have written for him, and tell him that in writing these lines
the poor woman to whom he was kind enough to write so consoling a
letter wept tears of gratitude and prayed God for him.
January 4.
I have passed some terrible days. I never knew the body could
suffer so. Oh, my past life! I pay double for it now.
There has been some one to watch by me every night; I can not
breathe. What remains of my poor existence is shared between
Camille |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lesson of the Master by Henry James: "She's not for ME!" the great novelist had said emphatically at
Summersoft; but his manner of conducting himself toward her
appeared not quite in harmony with such a conviction. How could he
have behaved differently if she HAD been for him? An indefinite
envy rose in Paul Overt's heart as he took his way on foot alone; a
feeling addressed alike strangely enough, to each of the occupants
of the hansom. How much he should like to rattle about London with
such a girl! How much he should like to go and look at "types"
with St. George!
The next Sunday at four o'clock he called in Manchester Square,
where his secret wish was gratified by his finding Miss Fancourt
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