| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: London) who I am certain would not hesitate in receiving me."
"Shall I order the Boy to drive there?" said I--but instantly
recollecting myself, exclaimed, "Alas I fear it will be too long
a Journey for the Horses." Unwilling however to act only from my
own inadequate Knowledge of the Strength and Abilities of Horses,
I consulted the Postilion, who was entirely of my Opinion
concerning the Affair. We therefore determined to change Horses
at the next Town and to travel Post the remainder of the Journey
--. When we arrived at the last Inn we were to stop at, which
was but a few miles from the House of Sophia's Relation,
unwilling to intrude our Society on him unexpected and unthought
Love and Friendship |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Memories and Portraits by Robert Louis Stevenson: carry the audience from a lower to a higher pitch of interest and
emotion. A good serious play must therefore be founded on one of
the passionate CRUCES of life, where duty and inclination come
nobly to the grapple; and the same is true of what I call, for that
reason, the dramatic novel. I will instance a few worthy
specimens, all of our own day and language; Meredith's RHODA
FLEMING, that wonderful and painful book, long out of print, (13)
and hunted for at bookstalls like an Aldine; Hardy's PAIR OF BLUE
EYES; and two of Charles Reade's, GRIFFITH GAUNT and the DOUBLE
MARRIAGE, originally called WHITE LIES, and founded (by an accident
quaintly favourable to my nomenclature) on a play by Maquet, the
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from When the World Shook by H. Rider Haggard: his head held high, as though heralds and pursuivants went in
front of him, as though nobles surrounded him and guards or
regiments followed after him. Let it be admitted that he was a
great figure in his gorgeous robes, with his long white beard,
his hawk-like features, his tall shape and his glittering eyes,
which even at that distance I could see. Indeed once or twice I
thought that he glanced out of the corners of them towards the
chapel where we were hid. But this I think was fancy. For as Yva
said, his thoughts were set elsewhere.
He reached the statue of Fate and stood for a while
contemplating it and the suppliant figures on either side, as
When the World Shook |
