| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from An Episode Under the Terror by Honore de Balzac: this. It was a wonderful act of faith achieved without an
afterthought. Surely in the sight of God it was like the cup of cold
water which counterbalances the loftiest virtues. The prayers put up
by two feeble nuns and a priest represented the whole Monarchy, and
possibly at the same time, the Revolution found expression in the
stranger, for the remorse in his face was so great that it was
impossible not to think that he was fulfilling the vows of a boundless
repentance.
When the priest came to the Latin words, Introibo ad altare Dei, a
sudden divine inspiration flashed upon him; he looked at the three
kneeling figures, the representatives of Christian France, and said
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: in which public opinion regards them; they must be reconciled with the
ordinary duties of life; and they must be justified by the result.
Yet another question, 10). Admitting that friendships cannot be always
permanent, we may ask when and upon what conditions should they be
dissolved. It would be futile to retain the name when the reality has
ceased to be. That two friends should part company whenever the relation
between them begins to drag may be better for both of them. But then
arises the consideration, how should these friends in youth or friends of
the past regard or be regarded by one another? They are parted, but there
still remain duties mutually owing by them. They will not admit the world
to share in their difference any more than in their friendship; the memory
Lysis |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Louis Lambert by Honore de Balzac: two forms of scorn--is the still tender soul at that age.
At school, as in social life, the strong despise the feeble without
knowing in what true strength consists.
Nor was this all. No gloves. If by good hap a boy's parents, the
infirmary nurse, or the headmaster gave gloves to a particularly
delicate lad, the wags or the big boys of the class would put them on
the stove, amused to see them dry and shrivel; or if the gloves
escaped the marauders, after getting wet they shrunk as they dried for
want of care. No, gloves were impossible. Gloves were a privilege, and
boys insist on equality.
Louis Lambert fell a victim to all these varieties of torment. Like
Louis Lambert |
