| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Timaeus by Plato: the heart through the arteries and returns through the veins on the other,
which is commonly called the circulation of the blood, was absolutely
unknown to him.
A further study of the Timaeus suggests some after-thoughts which may be
conveniently brought together in this place. The topics which I propose
briefly to reconsider are (a) the relation of the Timaeus to the other
dialogues of Plato and to the previous philosophy; (b) the nature of God
and of creation (c) the morality of the Timaeus:--
(a) The Timaeus is more imaginative and less scientific than any other of
the Platonic dialogues. It is conjectural astronomy, conjectural natural
philosophy, conjectural medicine. The writer himself is constantly
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: no probabilities to be accepted, merely because they
are not certainties? Is nothing due to the man whom we
have all such reason to love, and no reason in the world
to think ill of? To the possibility of motives unanswerable
in themselves, though unavoidably secret for a while? And,
after all, what is it you suspect him of?"
"I can hardly tell myself. But suspicion of
something unpleasant is the inevitable consequence
of such an alteration as we just witnessed in him.
There is great truth, however, in what you have now urged
of the allowances which ought to be made for him, and it
Sense and Sensibility |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott: "There it is now?" said Caleb; "wasna I saying that young folk
had a green judgment? How suld it help me, quotha? It will be a
creditable apology for the honour of the family for this score of
years to come, if it is weel guided. 'Where's the family
pictures?' says ae meddling body. 'The great fire at Wolf's
Crag,' answers I. 'Where's the family plate?' says another.
'The great fire,' says I; 'wha was to think of plate, when life
and limb were in danger?' 'Where's the wardrobe and the linens?-
-where's the tapestries and the decorements?--beds of state,
twilts, pands and testors, napery and broidered wark?' 'The
fire--the fire--the fire.' Guide the fire weel, and it will
The Bride of Lammermoor |
