| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce: portico, one of which was broken in half by the catastrophe, the other
remaining intact. As the earlier form of the letter is supposed to
have been suggested by these pillars, so, it is thought by the great
antiquary, its later was adopted as a simple and natural -- not to say
touching -- means of keeping the calamity ever in the national memory.
It is not known if the name of the letter was altered as an additional
mnemonic, or if the name was always _Klatch_ and the destruction one
of nature's pums. As each theory seems probable enough, I see no
objection to believing both -- and Dr. Snedeker arrayed himself on
that side of the question.
KEEP, v.t.
The Devil's Dictionary |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Protagoras by Plato: knowledge; and we refused to allow this, and you rejoined: O Protagoras
and Socrates, what is the meaning of being overcome by pleasure if not
this?--tell us what you call such a state:--if we had immediately and at
the time answered 'Ignorance,' you would have laughed at us. But now, in
laughing at us, you will be laughing at yourselves: for you also admitted
that men err in their choice of pleasures and pains; that is, in their
choice of good and evil, from defect of knowledge; and you admitted
further, that they err, not only from defect of knowledge in general, but
of that particular knowledge which is called measuring. And you are also
aware that the erring act which is done without knowledge is done in
ignorance. This, therefore, is the meaning of being overcome by pleasure;
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Records of a Family of Engineers by Robert Louis Stevenson: to mutiny, which had so strongly manifested itself, being now
happily suppressed, Captain Pool got orders to proceed for
Arbroath Bay, and land the two men he had on board, and to
deliver the following letter at the office of the workyard:-
'ON BOARD OF THE TENDER OFF THE BELL ROCK,
22ND JUNE 1810, EIGHT O'CLOCK P.M.
`DEAR SIR, - A discontented and mutinous spirit having
manifested itself of late among the landing-master's crew,
they struck work to-day and demanded an additional allowance
of beer, and I have found it necessary to dismiss D-d and M-e,
who are now sent on shore with the SMEATON. You will
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