| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Essays & Lectures by Oscar Wilde: credibility must be acknowledged to appeal rather to that
subjective attitude of mind which we call the historic sense than
to any formulated objective rules. But a scientific method is a
gain for all time, and the true if not the only progress of
historical criticism consists in the improvement of the instruments
of research.
Now first, as regards his conception of history, I have already
pointed out that it was to him essentially a search for causes, a
problem to be solved, not a picture to be painted, a scientific
investigation into laws and tendencies, not a mere romantic account
of startling incident and wondrous adventure. Thucydides, in the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: to build a beautiful human creature than a beautiful dome or
steeple--and more delightful to look up reverently to a creature far
above us, than to a wall; only the beautiful human creature will
have some duties to do in return--duties of living belfry and
rampart--of which presently.
{13} Since this was written, the answer has become definitely--No;
we having surrendered the field of Arctic discovery to the
Continental nations, as being ourselves too poor to pay for ships.
{14} I state this fact without Professor Owen's permission: which
of course he could not with propriety have granted, had I asked it;
but I consider it so important that the public should be aware of
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum: inside their cage again.
By morning the mud had dried hard on the Glass Cat and it was a dull
blue color throughout. Dorothy and Trot were horrified, but the
Wizard shook his head and said it served the Glass Cat right for
teasing the monkeys.
Cap'n Bill, with his strong hands, soon bent the golden wires of the
monkeys' cage into the proper position and then he asked the Wizard if
he should wash the Glass Cat in the water of the brook.
"Not just yet," answered the Wizard. "The Cat deserves to be
punished, so I think I'll leave that blue mud--which is as bad as
paint--upon her body until she gets to the Emerald City. The silly
The Magic of Oz |
