| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Some Reminiscences by Joseph Conrad: as a good reason for not writing at all. But since I have
written them, all I want to say in their defence is that these
memories put down without any regard for established conventions
have not been thrown off without system and purpose. They have
their hope and their aim. The hope that from the reading of
these pages there may emerge at last the vision of a personality;
the man behind the books so fundamentally dissimilar as, for
instance, "Almayer's Folly" and "The Secret Agent"--and yet a
coherent, justifiable personality both in its origin and in its
action. This is the hope. The immediate aim, closely associated
with the hope, is to give the record of personal memories by
Some Reminiscences |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: fire that pistol. Bet you don't know what that is!"
He brought out a small tin box shaped like a thimble, in which were
things that rattled.
Mr. McLean gave it up.
"That's kinni-kinnic seed. You can have that, for I got some more with
the engine-man."
Lin received this second token also, and thanked the giver for it. His
first feeling had been to prevent the boy's parting with his treasures,
but something that came not from the polish of manners and experience
made him know that he should take them. Billy talked away, laying bare
his little soul; the street boy that was not quite come made place for
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum: great Forest of Burzee. They had long whiskers and pointed caps and
curling toes, yet were no taller than Button-Bright's shoulder. With
this group came a man so easy to recognize and so important and dearly
beloved throughout the known world, that all present rose to their feet
and bowed their heads in respectful homage, even before the High
Chamberlain knelt to announce his name.
"The most Mighty and Loyal Friend of Children, His Supreme
Highness--Santa Claus!" said the Chamberlain, in an awed voice.
"Well, well, well! Glad to see you--glad to meet you all!" cried
Santa Claus, briskly, as he trotted up the long room.
He was round as an apple, with a fresh rosy face, laughing eyes, and
The Road to Oz |
