| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Cousin Betty by Honore de Balzac: Marechal de Richelieu! By the Holy Poker!--My wife, who is wandering
in her head, has just sent me a man in a gown--to me! the admirer of
Beranger, the friend of Lisette, the son of Voltaire and Rousseau.--
The doctor, to feel my pulse, as it were, and see if sickness had
subdued me--'You saw Monsieur l'Abbe?' said he.--Well, I imitated the
great Montesquieu. Yes, I looked at the doctor--see, like this," and
he turned to show three-quarters face, like his portrait, and extended
his hand authoritatively--"and I said:
"The slave was here,
He showed his order, but he nothing gained.
"/His order/ is a pretty jest, showing that even in death Monsieur le
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: possession, and shall be freely exhibited to whomsoever, induced
by the great interest of the narrative, may desire a sight of
them I must not be understood affirming that, in the dressing up
of the tale, and imagining the motives
44 THE SCARLET LETTER
The Scarlet Letter |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther: Whether a servant performs his duties well; whether those who are in
authority govern wisely; whether a man marries, provides for his family,
and is an honest citizen; whether a woman is chaste, obedient to her
husband, and a good mother: all these advantages do not qualify a person
for salvation. These virtues are commendable, of course; but they do not
count points for justification. All the best laws, ceremonies, religions, and
deeds of the world cannot take away sin guilt, cannot dispatch death,
cannot purchase life.
There is much disparity among men in the world, but there is no such
disparity before God. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God." (Romans 3:23.) Let the Jews, let the Greeks, let the whole world keep
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