| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Ion by Plato: SOCRATES: And there are and have been many painters good and bad?
ION: Yes.
SOCRATES: And did you ever know any one who was skilful in pointing out
the excellences and defects of Polygnotus the son of Aglaophon, but
incapable of criticizing other painters; and when the work of any other
painter was produced, went to sleep and was at a loss, and had no ideas;
but when he had to give his opinion about Polygnotus, or whoever the
painter might be, and about him only, woke up and was attentive and had
plenty to say?
ION: No indeed, I have never known such a person.
SOCRATES: Or did you ever know of any one in sculpture, who was skilful in
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum: "The little ones will be greatly disappointed," murmured the Daemon of
Repentance, almost regretfully; "but that cannot be helped now. Their
grief is likely to make the children selfish and envious and hateful,
and if they come to the Caves of the Daemons today I shall get a
chance to lead some of them to my Cave of Repentance."
"Do you never repent, yourself?" asked Santa Claus, curiously.
"Oh, yes, indeed," answered the Daemon. "I am even now repenting that
I assisted in your capture. Of course it is too late to remedy the
evil that has been done; but repentance, you know, can come only after
an evil thought or deed, for in the beginning there is nothing to
repent of."
A Kidnapped Santa Claus |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Gobseck by Honore de Balzac: lips and white teeth, such a winning smile. There they stood before
their judge, he scrutinizing them much as some fifteenth-century
Dominican inquisitor might have peered into the dungeons of the Holy
Office while the torture was administered to two Moors.
"The Countess spoke tremulously. 'Sir,' she said, 'is there any way of
obtaining the value of these diamonds, and of keeping the right of
repurchase?' She held out a jewel-case.
" 'Yes, madame,' I put in, and came forwards.
"She looked at me, and a shudder ran through her as she recognized me,
and gave me the glance which means, 'Say nothing of this,' all the
world over.
Gobseck |
