| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: often as possible.[2] It is a good thing also to have his stall so
arranged that there will be as little risk of the horse's food being
stolen from the manger, as of the master's from his larder or store-
closet. To neglect a detail of this kind is surely to neglect oneself;
since in the hour of danger, it is certain, the owner has to consign
himself, life and limb, to the safe keeping of his horse.
[1] Lit. "To proceed: when you have bought a horse which you admire
and have brought him home."
[2] i.e. "where he will be brought as frequently as possible under the
master's eye." Cf. "Econ." xii. 20.
Nor is it only to avoid the risk of food being stolen that a secure
 On Horsemanship |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson: against one another. This little delay has let us get our reports
into tolerable order. We are now at 7 o'clock getting the cable
end again, with the main cable buoy close to us.'
A TELEGRAM OF JULY 20: 'I have received your four welcome letters.
The Americans are charming people.'
VI.
And here to make an end are a few random bits about the cruise to
Pernambuco:-
'PLYMOUTH, JUNE 21, 1873. - I have been down to the sea-shore and
smelt the salt sea and like it; and I have seen the HOOPER pointing
her great bow sea-ward, while light smoke rises from her funnels
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad: expostulations of the big-faced cabman seemed to be squeezed out of
a blocked throat. Leaning over from his box, he whispered with
mysterious indignation. What was the matter now? Was it possible
to treat a man so? His enormous and unwashed countenance flamed
red in the muddy stretch of the street. Was it likely they would
have given him a licence, he inquired desperately, if -
The police constable of the locality quieted him by a friendly
glance; then addressing himself to the two women without marked
consideration, said:
"He's been driving a cab for twenty years. I never knew him to
have an accident."
 The Secret Agent |