| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: 2. He (who knows it) will keep his mouth shut and close the portals
(of his nostrils). He will blunt his sharp points and unravel the
complications of things; he will attemper his brightness, and bring
himself into agreement with the obscurity (of others). This is called
'the Mysterious Agreement.'
3. (Such an one) cannot be treated familiarly or distantly; he is
beyond all consideration of profit or injury; of nobility or
meanness:--he is the noblest man under heaven.
57. 1. A state may be ruled by (measures of) correction; weapons of
war may be used with crafty dexterity; (but) the kingdom is made one's
own (only) by freedom from action and purpose.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from From London to Land's End by Daniel Defoe: government of himself, and then guiding all under him by the rules
of honour and virtue, being also himself perfectly master of all
the needful arts of family government--I mean, needful to make that
government both easy and pleasant to those who are under it, and
who therefore willingly, and by choice, conform to it.
Here an exalted genius is the instructor, a glorious example the
guide, and a gentle well-directed hand the governor and law-giver
to the whole; and the family, like a well-governed city, appears
happy, flourishing, and regular, groaning under no grievance,
pleased with what they enjoy, and enjoying everything which they
ought to be pleased with.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Paz by Honore de Balzac: compared with her former poverty. Wonderful stories went the rounds of
the Circus about Malaga's good-luck. Her vanity increased the six
thousand francs which Paz had spent on her furniture to sixty
thousand. According to the clowns and the supers, Malaga was
squandering money; and she now appeared at the Circus wearing burnous
and shawls and elegant scarfs. The Pole, it was agreed on all sides,
was the best sort of man a circus-rider had ever encountered, not
fault-finding nor jealous, and willing to let Malaga do just what she
liked.
"Some women have the luck of it," said Malaga's rival, "and I'm not
one of them,--though I do draw a third of the receipts."
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