| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson: I must tell you plainly - I can't tell Colvin - I do not think I
shall come to England more than once, and then it'll be to die.
Health I enjoy in the tropics; even here, which they call sub- or
semi-tropical, I come only to catch cold. I have not been out
since my arrival; live here in a nice bedroom by the fireside, and
read books and letters from Henry James, and send out to get his
TRAGIC MUSE, only to be told they can't be had as yet in Sydney,
and have altogether a placid time. But I can't go out! The
thermometer was nearly down to 50 degrees the other day - no
temperature for me, Mr. James: how should I do in England? I fear
not at all. Am I very sorry? I am sorry about seven or eight
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Protagoras by Plato: affirms that a man often does evil knowingly, when he might abstain,
because he is seduced and overpowered by pleasure; or again, when you say
that a man knowingly refuses to do what is good because he is overcome at
the moment by pleasure. And that this is ridiculous will be evident if
only we give up the use of various names, such as pleasant and painful, and
good and evil. As there are two things, let us call them by two names--
first, good and evil, and then pleasant and painful. Assuming this, let us
go on to say that a man does evil knowing that he does evil. But some one
will ask, Why? Because he is overcome, is the first answer. And by what
is he overcome? the enquirer will proceed to ask. And we shall not be able
to reply 'By pleasure,' for the name of pleasure has been exchanged for
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Pierre Grassou by Honore de Balzac: true pictures! each a finished picture! chouette, Koxnoff, chocnosoff!
His future, his dreams of happiness, the superlative of his hopes--do
you know what it was? To enter the Institute and obtain the grade of
officer of the Legion of honor; to side down beside Schinner and Leon
de Lora, to reach the Academy before Bridau, to wear a rosette in his
buttonhole! What a dream! It is only commonplace men who think of
everything.
Hearing the sound of several steps on the staircase, Fougeres rubbed
up his hair, buttoned his jacket of bottle-green velveteen, and was
not a little amazed to see, entering his doorway, a simpleton face
vulgarly called in studio slang a "melon." This fruit surmounted a
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