| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Voyage to Abyssinia by Father Lobo: from what we met with, which assurances he had confirmed by his
promise and the civilities we were entertained with at our first
arrival; but that instead of friends who would compassionate our
miseries, and supply our necessities, we found ourselves in the
midst of mortal enemies that wanted to destroy us.
The King, who affected to appear ignorant of the whole affair,
demanded an account of the injuries I complained of, and told me
that if any of his subjects should dare to attempt our lives, it
should cost him his own. We were not, replied I, in danger of being
stabbed or poisoned, but are doomed to a more lingering and painful
death by that prohibition which obliges your subjects to deny us the
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbot: nor pass by? Is it possible that in Lineland proximity is not
necessary for marriage and for the generation of children?"
"How can you ask so absurd a question?" replied the Monarch.
"If it were indeed as you suggest, the Universe would soon
be depopulated. No, no; neighbourhood is needless for the union
of hearts; and the birth of children is too important a matter
to have been allowed to depend upon such an accident as proximity.
You cannot be ignorant of this. Yet since you are pleased
to affect ignorance, I will instruct you as if you were the veriest
baby in Lineland. Know, then, that marriages are consummated
by means of the faculty of sound and the sense of hearing.
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne: might be injured as little as possible, and they proceeded to its
inventory. Pencroft did not try to hide that he was greatly excited.
The sailor began by detaching the two barrels, which, being in good
condition, would of course be of use. Then the locks were forced with a
cold chisel and hammer, and the lid thrown back. A second casing of zinc
lined the interior of the chest, which had been evidently arranged that the
articles which it enclosed might under any circumstances be sheltered from
damp.
"Oh!" cried Neb, "suppose it's jam!
"I hope not," replied the reporter.
"If only there was--" said the sailor in a low voice.
The Mysterious Island |
