| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from On Horsemanship by Xenophon: instead of alive to what is in front of him; and what with spurring
and whipping they distract the creature to the point of absolute
bewilderment and danger.[1] Feats indeed!--the feats of horses with a
strong dislike to being ridden--up to all sorts of ugly and ungainly
tricks. On the contrary, let the horse be taught to be ridden on a
loose bridle, and to hold his head high and arch his neck, and you
will practically be making him perform the very acts which he himself
delights or rather exults in; and the best proof of the pleasure which
he takes is, that when he is let loose with other horses, and more
particularly with mares, you will see him rear his head aloft to the
full height, and arch his neck with nervous vigour,[2] pawing the air
On Horsemanship |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne: that the Henrietta might not be able to maintain herself upright on the waves.
Passepartout's visage darkened with the skies, and for two days the poor
fellow experienced constant fright. But Phileas Fogg was a bold mariner,
and knew how to maintain headway against the sea; and he kept on his course,
without even decreasing his steam. The Henrietta, when she could not rise
upon the waves, crossed them, swamping her deck, but passing safely.
Sometinies the screw rose out of the water, beating its protruding end,
when a mountain of water raised the stern above the waves; but the craft
always kept straight ahead.
The wind, however, did not grow as boisterous as might have been feared;
it was not one of those tempests which burst, and rush on with a speed
Around the World in 80 Days |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Chouans by Honore de Balzac: prejudices which scorn our modern agriculture. These will further be
shown with all their dangers in our present history.
The picturesque lay of the land and the superstitions of the
inhabitants prevent the formation of communities and the benefits
arising from the exchange and comparison of ideas. There are no
villages. The rickety buildings which the people call homes are
sparsely scattered through the wilderness. Each family lives as in a
desert. The only meetings among them are on Sundays and feast-days in
the parish church. These silent assemblies, under the eye of the
rector (the only ruler of these rough minds) last some hours. After
listening to the awful words of the priest they return to their
The Chouans |
