| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Little Rivers by Henry van Dyke: you know the streets of the city. He is our pathfinder.
The bow paddle in his canoe is held by his son Joseph, a lad not
quite fifteen, but already as tall, and almost as strong as a man.
"He is yet of the youth," said Johnny, "and he knows not the
affairs of the camp. This trip is for him the first--it is his
school--but I hope he will content you. He is good, M'sieu', and
of the strongest for his age. I have educated already two sons in
the bow of my canoe. The oldest has gone to Pennsylvanie; he peels
the bark there for the tanning of leather. The second had the
misfortune of breaking his leg, so that he can no longer kneel to
paddle. He has descended to the making of shoes. Joseph is my
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln by Helen Nicolay: Even then, although hopelessly beaten, the Confederacy was not
willing to give in, and much needless and severe fighting took
place before the final end came. The rebel government hurried
away toward the South, and Lee bent all his energies to saving
his army and taking it to join General Johnston, who still held
out against Sherman. Grant pursued him with such energy that he
did not even allow himself the pleasure of entering the captured
rebel capital. The chase continued six days. On the evening of
April 8 the Union army succeeded in planting itself squarely
across Lee's line of retreat; and the marching and fighting of
his army were over for ever. On the next morning the two generals
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Statesman by Plato: the discussion of it to expose the error which prevails in this matter.
YOUNG SOCRATES: What do you mean?
STRANGER: The idea which has to be grasped by us is not easy or familiar;
but we may attempt to express it thus:--Supposing the government of which I
have been speaking to be the only true model, then the others must use the
written laws of this--in no other way can they be saved; they will have to
do what is now generally approved, although not the best thing in the
world.
YOUNG SOCRATES: What is this?
STRANGER: No citizen should do anything contrary to the laws, and any
infringement of them should be punished with death and the most extreme
Statesman |
