| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Selected Writings of Guy De Maupassant by Guy De Maupassant: Soon he saw them issuing from the thicket. They returned slowly,
holding each other's hands as in the villages do those who are
promised. It was Luc who carried the pail.
They kissed one another again before they separated, and the girl
went off after having thrown Jean a friendly "Good evening" and a
smile which was full of meaning. To-day she no longer thought of
offering him any milk.
The two little soldiers sat side by side, motionless as usual,
silent and calm, their placid faces betraying nothing of all
which troubled their hearts. The sun fell on them. Sometimes the
cow lowed, looking at them from afar.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli: finally formed the Holy League against France, and with the assistance
of the Swiss drove the French out of Italy, Florence lay at the mercy
of the Pope, and had to submit to his terms, one of which was that the
Medici should be restored. The return of the Medici to Florence on 1st
September 1512, and the consequent fall of the Republic, was the
signal for the dismissal of Machiavelli and his friends, and thus put
an end to his public career, for, as we have seen, he died without
regaining office.
LITERATURE AND DEATH
Aet. 43-58--1512-27
On the return of the Medici, Machiavelli, who for a few weeks had
The Prince |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. "Shall we ask him why a
man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world, is ill
qualified to recommend himself to strangers?"
"I can answer your question," said Fitzwilliam, "without
applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the
trouble."
"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess," said
Darcy, "of conversing easily with those I have never seen before.
I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in
their concerns, as I often see done."
"My fingers," said Elizabeth, "do not move over this instrument
Pride and Prejudice |
