| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Davis: morrow."
Deborah did not doubt her. As the evening wore on, she leaned
against the iron bars, looking at the hills that rose far off,
through the thick sodden clouds, like a bright, unattainable
calm. As she looked, a shadow of their solemn repose fell on
her face; its fierce discontent faded into a pitiful, humble
quiet. Slow, solemn tears gathered in her eyes: the poor weak
eyes turned so hopelessly to the place where Hugh was to rest,
the grave heights looking higher and brighter and more solemn
than ever before. The Quaker watched her keenly. She came to
her at last, and touched her arm.
Life in the Iron-Mills |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tales of the Klondyke by Jack London: upon the trail. The lead-dog fouled his snowshoes and tripped him
up, and the nine succeeding dogs trod him under foot and the sled
bumped over him. But he was quick to his feet, and the night
might have turned out differently had not Sipsu struck backward
with the long dog-whip and smitten him a blinding blow across the
eyes. Hitchcock, hurrying to overtake her, collided against him
as he swayed with pain in the middle of the trail. Thus it was,
when this primitive theologian got back to the chief's lodge, that
his wisdom had been increased in so far as concerns the efficacy
of the white man's fist. So, when he orated then and there in the
council, he was wroth against all white men.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Apology by Xenophon: touch of weakness, but with gaiety welcomed death's embrace, and
discharged life's debt.
[58] Lit. "dear to the gods"; "highly favoured."
[59] Cf. Hom. "Od." xii. 341, {pantes men stugeroi thanatoi deiloisi
brotoisin}.
[60] {prosantes}, i.e. "he faced death boldly as he had encountered
life's blessings blandly." "As he had been no stoic to repudiate
life's blessings, so he was no coward to," etc.
For myself indeed, as I lay to mind the wisdom of the man and his
nobility, I can neither forget him nor, remembering him, forbear to
praise him. But if any of those who make virtue their pursuit have
The Apology |
