| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Critias by Plato: cisterns, some open to the heaven, others roofed over, to be used in winter
as warm baths; there were the kings' baths, and the baths of private
persons, which were kept apart; and there were separate baths for women,
and for horses and cattle, and to each of them they gave as much adornment
as was suitable. Of the water which ran off they carried some to the grove
of Poseidon, where were growing all manner of trees of wonderful height and
beauty, owing to the excellence of the soil, while the remainder was
conveyed by aqueducts along the bridges to the outer circles; and there
were many temples built and dedicated to many gods; also gardens and places
of exercise, some for men, and others for horses in both of the two islands
formed by the zones; and in the centre of the larger of the two there was
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Edition of The Ambassadors by Henry James: "That won't help you. There's nothing to help you."
"Well, it may help YOU," he said.
She shook her head. "There's not a grain of certainty in my
future--for the only certainty is that I shall be the loser in the
end."
She hadn't taken his hand, but she moved with him to the door.
"That's cheerful," he laughed, "for your benefactor!"
"What's cheerful for ME," she replied, "is that we might, you and
I, have been friends. That's it--that's it. You see how, as I
say, I want everything. I've wanted you too."
"Ah but you've HAD me!" he declared, at the door, with an emphasis
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Chance by Joseph Conrad: himself, had time to observe the people around with friendly
interest. Very early in the beginning of the passage, he had
discovered with some amusement that the marriage of Captain Anthony
was resented by those to whom Powell (conscious of being looked upon
as something of an outsider) referred in his mind as 'the old lot.'
They had the funny, regretful glances, intonations, nods of men who
had seen other, better times. What difference it could have made to
the bo'sun and the carpenter Powell could not very well understand.
Yet these two pulled long faces and even gave hostile glances to the
poop. The cook and the steward might have been more directly
concerned. But the steward used to remark on occasion, 'Oh, she
Chance |
