| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: found the fires extinguished and the utensils in confusion, with
a note from the learned Doboobius, as he was wont to style
himself, acquainting me that we should never meet again,
bequeathing me his chemical apparatus, and the parchment which I
have just put into your hands, advising me strongly to prosecute
the secret which it contained, which would infallibly lead me to
the discovery of the grand magisterium."
"And didst thou follow this sage advice?" said Tressilian.
"Worshipful sir, no," replied the smith; "for, being by nature
cautious, and suspicious from knowing with whom I had to do, I
made so many perquisitions before I ventured even to light a
Kenilworth |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Letters from England by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft: country to Hawthornden, formerly the residence of Drummond the poet,
and to Lord Roslin's grounds, where are the ruins of Roslin Castle
and above all, of the Roslin Chapel. . . . After lingering and
admiring long we returned to Edinburgh just in season for dinner at
Mr. Gordon's, where we found Prof. Wilson, and another daughter and
son, Mrs. Rutherford, wife of the Lord Advocate, and Capt.
Rutherford, his brother, with his wife. We had a very agreeable
evening and engaged to dine there again quite EN FAMILLE, with only
the professor, whose conversation is delightful.
The next morning we went out to Craigcrook, Lord Jeffrey's country
seat, to see and lunch with him. He was confined to his couch. . .
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Two Poets by Honore de Balzac: not for a granite guard-post, but for a formidable sphinx, and thought
it necessary to conciliate him.
"I am the first comer," he said, bowing with more respect than people
usually showed the worthy man.
"That is natural enough," said M. de Bargeton.
Lucien took the remark for an epigram; the lady's husband was jealous,
he thought; he reddened under it, looked in the glass and tried to
give himself a countenance.
"You live in L'Houmeau," said M. de Bargeton, "and people who live a
long way off always come earlier than those who live near by."
"What is the reason of that?" asked Lucien politely.
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