| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: It occurred to Jean Valjean that the grating which he had caught sight
of under the flag-stones might also catch the eye of the soldiery,
and that everything hung upon this chance. They also might descend
into that well and search it. There was not a minute to be lost.
He had deposited Marius on the ground, he picked him up again,--
that is the real word for it,--placed him on his shoulders once more,
and set out. He plunged resolutely into the gloom.
The truth is, that they were less safe than Jean Valjean fancied.
Perils of another sort and no less serious were awaiting them,
perchance. After the lightning-charged whirlwind of the combat,
the cavern of miasmas and traps; after chaos, the sewer.
Les Miserables |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: of the expert horseman. Next comes the need to arm both horse and man
in such a manner as to minimise the risk of wounds, and yet to
increase the force of every blow delivered.[7] This attended to, you
must contrive to make your men amenable to discipline, without which
neither good horses, nor a firm seat, nor splendour of equipment will
be of any use at all.
[7] Lit. "so that whilst least likely to be wounded themselves, they
may most be able to injure the enemy."
The general of cavalry,[8] as patron of the whole department, is
naturally responsible for its efficient working. In view, however, of
the task imposed upon that officer had he to carry out these various
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum: Very carefully he began sprinkling the Thing with the precious powder. Each
of the four wings was first lightly covered with a layer. then the sofas
were sprinkled, and the broom given a slight coating.
"The head! The head! Don't, I beg of you, forget the head!" cried the
Woggle-Bug, excitedly.
"There's only a little of the powder left," announced Tip, looking within
the box." And it seems to me it is more important to bring the legs of the
sofas to life than the head."
"Not so," decided the Scarecrow. "Every thing must have a head to direct it;
and since this creature is to fly, and not walk, it is really unimportant
whether its legs are alive or not."
The Marvelous Land of Oz |
