| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: from them two good buck wagons. Probably they were stolen from some
wandering Boers or found derelict after their murder or death by fever.
These wagons he was only too glad to sell for a song. I think I gave
him twenty pounds English for the two, and thirty more for twelve oxen
that he had bought at the same time as the wagons. They were fine
beasts of the Afrikander breed, that after a long rest had grown quite
fat and strong.
Of course twelve oxen were not enough to draw two wagons, or even one.
Therefore, hearing that there were natives on the mainland who possessed
plenty of cattle, I at once gave out that I was ready to buy, and pay
well in blankets, cloth, beads and so forth. The result was that within
Marie |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Cavalry General by Xenophon: the old game, "Buck! buck! how many horns do I hold up?" Schneid.
cf. Aristot. "Rhet."iii. 5. 4.
[8] "Have been won in connection with craft." See "Cyrop." I. vi. 32;
"Mem." III. i. 6; IV. ii. 15.
A general, who has access to the sea, may exercise the faculty as
follows: he may either, whilst apparently engaged in fitting out his
vessels, strike a blow on land;[9] or with a make-believe of some
aggressive design by land, hazard an adventure by sea.[10]
[9] A ruse adopted by Jason, 371 B.C. Cf. "Hell." VI. iv. 21.
[10] Cf. the tactics of the Athenians at Catana, 415 B.C. Thuc. vi.
64.
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne: to give him room for the explosion which I knew must follow. But I
was mistaken.
"I was thinking of that," he replied with great simplicity.
What could those words mean? - Was he actually going to listen to
reason? Was he contemplating the abandonment of his plans? This was
too good to be true.
After a few moments' silence, during which I dared not question him,
he resumed:
"I was thinking of that. Ever since we arrived at Stapi I have been
occupied with the important question you have just opened, for we
must not be guilty of imprudence."
Journey to the Center of the Earth |
