| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin: the Gauchos, who have from infancy almost lived on horseback,
say that, under similar circumstances, they alway
suffer. St. Jago told me, that having been confined for thre
months by illness, he went out hunting wild cattle, and i
consequence, for the next two days, his thighs were so stif
that he was obliged to lie in bed. This shows that the Gauchos,
although they do not appear to do so, yet really mus
exert much muscular effort in riding. The hunting wil
cattle, in a country so difficult to pass as this is on accoun
of the swampy ground, must be very hard work. Th
Gauchos say they often pass at full speed over ground whic
 The Voyage of the Beagle |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Dream Life and Real Life by Olive Schreiner: of my great happiness. Do you remember how you told me that day by the
fire to wait, and after long, long years I should see that all was for the
best? That time has come sooner than we hoped. Last week in Rome I was
married to the best, noblest, most large-hearted of men. We are now in
Florence together. You don't know how beautiful all life is to me. I know
now that the old passion was only a girl's foolish dream. My husband is
the first man I have ever truly loved. He loves me and understands me as
no other man ever could. I am thankful that my dream was broken; God had
better things in store for me. I don't hate that woman any more; I love
every one! How are you, dear? We shall come and see you as soon as we
arrive in England. I always think of you so happy in your great work and
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Ferragus by Honore de Balzac: "See," he said, "your bonnet has betrayed you; these spots are
raindrops. You must, therefore, have gone out in a street cab, and
these drops fell upon it as you went to find one, or as you entered or
left the house where you went. But a woman can leave her own home for
many innocent purposes, even after she has told her husband that she
did not mean to go out. There are so many reasons for changing our
plans! Caprices, whims, are they not your right? Women are not
required to be consistent with themselves. You had forgotten
something,--a service to render, a visit, some kind action. But
nothing hinders a woman from telling her husband what she does. Can we
ever blush on the breast of a friend? It is not a jealous husband who
 Ferragus |