| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: fellow's misfortune. Corporal Trim laid his hand upon his heart, and made
an humble bow to his master; then laying down his hat upon the floor, and
taking up the sermon in his left hand, in order to have his right at
liberty,--he advanced, nothing doubting, into the middle of the room, where
he could best see, and be best seen by his audience.
Chapter 1.XLI.
--If you have any objection,--said my father, addressing himself to Dr.
Slop. Not in the least, replied Dr. Slop;--for it does not appear on which
side of the question it is wrote,--it may be a composition of a divine of
our church, as well as yours,--so that we run equal risques.--'Tis wrote
upon neither side, quoth Trim, for 'tis only upon Conscience, an' please
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Girl with the Golden Eyes by Honore de Balzac: away, some possess the capital for which the others wait; they have
the same tailors, but the bills of the latter are still to pay. Next,
if the first, like sieves, take in ideas of all kinds without
retaining any, the latter compare them and assimilate all the good. If
the first believe they know something, know nothing and understand
everything, lend all to those who need nothing and offer nothing to
those who are in need; the latter study secretly others' thoughts and
place out their money, like their follies, at big interest. The one
class have no more faithful impressions, because their soul, like a
mirror, worn from use, no longer reflects any image; the others
economize their senses and life, even while they seem, like the first,
The Girl with the Golden Eyes |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: cynic du Bousquier. A girl must be depraved, indeed, to go after him."
"Cynic! Your son teaches you to talk Latin, my dear, which is wholly
incomprehensible. Certainly I don't wish to excuse Monsieur du
Bousquier; but pray explain to me why a woman is depraved because she
prefers one man to another."
"My dear cousin, suppose you married my son Athanase; nothing could be
more natural. He is young and handsome, full of promise, and he will
be the glory of Alencon; and yet everybody will exclaim against you:
evil tongues will say all sorts of things; jealous women will accuse
you of depravity,--but what will that matter? you will be loved, and
loved truly. If Athanase seemed to you an idiot, my dear, it is that
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