| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Court Life in China by Isaac Taylor Headland: stature, has none of the elements of the great man that
characterized Li Hung-chang and Chang Chih-tung, or Prince Kung,
but he has always been characterized by that diplomacy which has
kept him one of the most useful officials in close connection
with the Empress Dowager. It is to his credit moreover that the
legations were preserved from the Boxers in the siege of 1900.
Prince Su is the only one of the eight hereditary princes who
holds any office that brings him into intimate contact with the
foreigners. During the Boxer siege he gave his palace for the use
of the native Christians, and at the close was made collector of
the customs duties (octoroi) at the city gates. Never had there
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Resurrection by Leo Tolstoy: again began the red-haired one, and an answer of the same kind
followed from Korableva. Then again a short interval and more
abuse. But the intervals became longer and longer, as when a
thunder-cloud is passing, and at last all was quiet.
All were in bed, some began to snore; and only the old woman, who
always prayed a long time, went on bowing before the icon and the
deacon's daughter, who had got up after the warder left, was
pacing up and down the room again. Maslova kept thinking that she
was now a convict condemned to hard labour, and had twice been
reminded of this--once by Botchkova and once by the red-haired
woman--and she could not reconcile herself to the thought.
Resurrection |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Gambara by Honore de Balzac: a white muslin counterpane, a circumstance that gave rise in his mind
to some sad but sweet thoughts.
He wished to speak of his plans and of his morning's work; but
Gambara, in his enthusiasm, believing that he had at last met with a
willing listener, took possession of him, and compelled him to listen
to the opera he had written for Paris.
"In the first place, monsieur," said the composer, "allow me to
explain the subject in a few words. Here, the hearers receiving a
musical impression do not work it out in themselves, as religion bids
us work out the texts of Scripture in prayer. Hence it is very
difficult to make them understand that there is in nature an eternal
Gambara |
