| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Gorgias by Plato: indeed. But then consider my case:--shall not I be very hardly used, if,
when you are making a long oration, and refusing to answer what you are
asked, I am compelled to stay and listen to you, and may not go away? I
say rather, if you have a real interest in the argument, or, to repeat my
former expression, have any desire to set it on its legs, take back any
statement which you please; and in your turn ask and answer, like myself
and Gorgias--refute and be refuted: for I suppose that you would claim to
know what Gorgias knows--would you not?
POLUS: Yes.
SOCRATES: And you, like him, invite any one to ask you about anything
which he pleases, and you will know how to answer him?
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: replaced the desertions of the first day's panic, had resumed
traffic, and was running northward trains from St. Albans
to relieve the congestion of the home counties. There was
also a placard in Chipping Ongar announcing that large
stores of flour were available in the northern towns and that
within twenty-four hours bread would be distributed among
the starving people in the neighbourhood. But this intelli-
gence did not deter him from the plan of escape he had
formed, and the three pressed eastward all day, and heard
no more of the bread distribution than this promise. Nor, as
a matter of fact, did anyone else hear more of it. That night
War of the Worlds |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Essays of Francis Bacon by Francis Bacon: expect the prime of markets, and overcome those
bargains, which for their greatness are few men's
money, and be partner in the industries of younger
men, he cannot but increase mainly. The gains of
ordinary trades and vocations are honest; and
furthered by two things chiefly: by diligence, and
by a good name, for good and fair dealing. But the
gains of bargains, are of a more doubtful nature;
when men shall wait upon others' necessity, broke
by servants and instruments to draw them on, put
off others cunningly, that would be better chap-
Essays of Francis Bacon |
