| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lady Susan by Jane Austen: distracted, for I cannot bear him. No human being but YOU could have any
chance of prevailing with her. If you will, therefore, have the unspeakably
great kindness of taking my part with her, and persuading her to send Sir
James away, I shall be more obliged to you than it is possible for me to
express. I always disliked him from the first: it is not a sudden fancy, I
assure you, sir; I always thought him silly and impertinent and
disagreeable, and now he is grown worse than ever. I would rather work for
my bread than marry him. I do not know how to apologize enough for this
letter; I know it is taking so great a liberty. I am aware how dreadfully
angry it will make mamma, but I remember the risk.
I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
Lady Susan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Rezanov by Gertrude Atherton: Bonaparte to give more than a passing thought to
his colonies. But I have a free hand. Can I arrange
the preliminaries of a treaty, I have only to return
to St. Petersburg to receive his signature and highest
approval. It would be a great feather in my cap I
can assure your excellencies," he added, with a quick
human glance and a sudden curve of his somewhat
cynical mouth.
"Um!" said the Governor. "Um!"
But Arguello's stern face had further relaxed.
After all, he was but eleven years older than the
Rezanov |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson: Might strike it, and awake her with the gleam;
Then fearing rust or soilure fashioned for it
A case of silk, and braided thereupon
All the devices blazoned on the shield
In their own tinct, and added, of her wit,
A border fantasy of branch and flower,
And yellow-throated nestling in the nest.
Nor rested thus content, but day by day,
Leaving her household and good father, climbed
That eastern tower, and entering barred her door,
Stript off the case, and read the naked shield,
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