| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lysis by Plato: saying that both were friends, if one only loved; but now, unless they both
love, neither is a friend.
That appears to be true.
Then nothing which does not love in return is beloved by a lover?
I think not.
Then they are not lovers of horses, whom the horses do not love in return;
nor lovers of quails, nor of dogs, nor of wine, nor of gymnastic exercises,
who have no return of love; no, nor of wisdom, unless wisdom loves them in
return. Or shall we say that they do love them, although they are not
beloved by them; and that the poet was wrong who sings--
'Happy the man to whom his children are dear, and steeds having single
Lysis |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Silas Marner by George Eliot: teach them more than their neighbours could learn with their five
senses and the parson. And where did Master Marner get his
knowledge of herbs from--and charms too, if he liked to give them
away? Jem Rodney's story was no more than what might have been
expected by anybody who had seen how Marner had cured Sally Oates,
and made her sleep like a baby, when her heart had been beating
enough to burst her body, for two months and more, while she had
been under the doctor's care. He might cure more folks if he would;
but he was worth speaking fair, if it was only to keep him from
doing you a mischief.
It was partly to this vague fear that Marner was indebted for
Silas Marner |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Battle of the Books by Jonathan Swift: Fixed honour in her infant mind.
But (not in wranglings to engage
With such a stupid vicious age),
If honour I would here define,
It answers faith in things divine.
As natural life the body warms,
And, scholars teach, the soul informs;
So honour animates the whole,
And is the spirit of the soul.
Those numerous virtues which the tribe
Of tedious moralists describe,
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