| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Black Dwarf by Walter Scott: with these intrusive sensations of awe. He summoned to his side
the brace of large greyhounds, who were the companions of his
sports, and who were wont, in his own phrase, to fear neither dog
nor devil; he looked at the priming of his piece, and, like the
clown in Hallowe'en, whistled up the warlike ditty of Jock of the
Side, as a general causes his drums be beat to inspirit the
doubtful courage of his soldiers.
In this state of mind, he was very glad to hear a friendly voice
shout in his rear, and propose to him a partner on the road. He
slackened his pace, and was quickly joined by a youth well known
to him, a gentleman of some fortune in that remote country, and
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: finding it hard to refuse his brother, who was anxious to go to the
shooting-gallery for the first time, and who begged him to second his
request to the Marquis. The Viscount always rather took advantage of
his weakness, and was very fond of wrestling with his brother. So the
couple were quarreling and fighting in play like schoolboys. As they
ran in the garden, chasing each other, they made so much noise as to
wake their father, who came to the window without their perceiving him
in the heat of the fray. The Marquis amused himself with watching his
two children twisted together like snakes, their faces flushed by the
exertion of their strength; their complexion was rose and white, their
eyes flashed sparks, their limbs writhed like cords in the fire; they
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Protagoras by Plato: asking questions of you but that of clearing up my own difficulties. For I
think that Homer was very right in saying that
'When two go together, one sees before the other (Il.),'
for all men who have a companion are readier in deed, word, or thought; but
if a man
'Sees a thing when he is alone,'
he goes about straightway seeking until he finds some one to whom he may
show his discoveries, and who may confirm him in them. And I would rather
hold discourse with you than with any one, because I think that no man has
a better understanding of most things which a good man may be expected to
understand, and in particular of virtue. For who is there, but you?--who
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