| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Apology by Plato: themselves may have complied with this practice on similar occasions, and
he trusts that they will not be angry with him for not following their
example. But he feels that such conduct brings discredit on the name of
Athens: he feels too, that the judge has sworn not to give away justice;
and he cannot be guilty of the impiety of asking the judge to break his
oath, when he is himself being tried for impiety.
As he expected, and probably intended, he is convicted. And now the tone
of the speech, instead of being more conciliatory, becomes more lofty and
commanding. Anytus proposes death as the penalty: and what counter-
proposition shall he make? He, the benefactor of the Athenian people,
whose whole life has been spent in doing them good, should at least have
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Glasses by Henry James: led even through the crowd to press nearer for the purpose, by an
impression of which in the act I was not fully conscious.
Flora with the toy in her hand looked round at her companion; then
seeing his attention had been solicited in another quarter she
moved away with the shop-girl, who had evidently offered to conduct
her into the presence of more objects of the same sort. When she
reached the indicated spot I was in a position still to observe
her. She had asked some question about the working of the toy, and
the girl, taking it herself, began to explain the little secret.
Flora bent her head over it, but she clearly didn't understand. I
saw her, in a manner that quickened my curiosity, give a glance
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Alkahest by Honore de Balzac: sentiment would triumph over actual beauty tempted her; then, she
fancied a grandeur in giving herself to a man in whose love she did
not believe; finally, she was forced to admit that happiness, however
short its duration might be, was too precious to resign.
Such hesitations, such struggles, giving the charm and the
unexpectedness of passion to this noble creature, inspired Balthazar
with a love that was well-nigh chivalric.
CHAPTER III
The marriage took place at the beginning of the year 1795. Husband and
wife came to Douai that the first days of their union might be spent
in the patriarchal house of the Claes,--the treasures of which were
|
