| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Village Rector by Honore de Balzac: blazed on the hearth. On the chimney-piece, at either side of an
antique clock, the value of which was wholly unknown to the Sauviats,
six wax candles in two brass sconces twisted like vine-shoots, lighted
the dark room and Veronique in all her budding prime. The old mother
was wearing her best gown.
From the silent street, at that tranquil hour, through the soft
shadows of the ancient stairway, Graslin appeared to the modest,
artless Veronique, her mind still dwelling on the sweet ideas which
Bernadin de Saint-Pierre had given her of love.
Graslin, who was short and thin, had thick black hair like the
bristles of a brush, which brought into vigorous relief a face as red
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from On Revenues by Xenophon: the length and breadth of Hellas--and I for one shall not be
astonished if you find our brother Hellenes of one sentiment and eager
under seal of solemn oaths[17] to proceed against those, whoever they
may be, who shall seek[18] to step into the place vacated by the
Phocians and to occupy the sacred shrine. Make it but evident that you
intend to establish a general peace by land and sea, and, if I mistake
not, your efforts will find a response in the hearts of all. There is
no man but will pray for the salvation of Athens next to that of his
own fatherland.
[16] "Autonomy."
[17] See Thuc. v. 18, clause 2 of the Treaty of Peace, B.C. 422-421.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Margret Howth: A Story of To-day by Rebecca Harding Davis: hand, of course; but as for the election next month, that was
quite another thing. If Joel thrust the history out of the touch
of common life, the Doctor brought it down, and held it there on
trial. To him it was the story of a Reformer who, eighteen
centuries ago, had served his day. Could he serve this day?
Could he? The need was desperate. Was there anything in this
Christianity, freed from bigotry, to work out the awful problem
which the ages had left for America to solve? He doubted it.
People called this old Knowles an infidel, said his brain was as
unnatural and distorted as his body. God, looking down into his
heart that night, saw the savage wrestling there, and judged him
Margret Howth: A Story of To-day |
