| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: happiness depends upon their self-control; if the better elements of the
mind which lead to order and philosophy prevail, then they pass their life
here in happiness and harmony--masters of themselves and orderly--enslaving
the vicious and emancipating the virtuous elements of the soul; and when
the end comes, they are light and winged for flight, having conquered in
one of the three heavenly or truly Olympian victories; nor can human
discipline or divine inspiration confer any greater blessing on man than
this. If, on the other hand, they leave philosophy and lead the lower life
of ambition, then probably, after wine or in some other careless hour, the
two wanton animals take the two souls when off their guard and bring them
together, and they accomplish that desire of their hearts which to the many
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: virtues I highly esteem, was lately pleased, in discoursing on
this matter, to offer a refinement upon my scheme. He said, that
many gentlemen of this kingdom, having of late destroyed their
deer, he conceived that the want of venison might be well
supply'd by the bodies of young lads and maidens, not exceeding
fourteen years of age, nor under twelve; so great a number of
both sexes in every country being now ready to starve for want of
work and service: And these to be disposed of by their parents if
alive, or otherwise by their nearest relations. But with due
deference to so excellent a friend, and so deserving a patriot, I
cannot be altogether in his sentiments; for as to the males, my
A Modest Proposal |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne: respectful carriage up to the table, and making a thousand
apologies for the liberty he was going to take, told me he had a
letter in his pocket wrote by a drummer in his regiment to a
corporal's wife, which he durst say would suit the occasion.
I had a mind to let the poor fellow have his humour. - Then
prithee, said I, let me see it.
La Fleur instantly pulled out a little dirty pocket book cramm'd
full of small letters and billet-doux in a sad condition, and
laying it upon the table, and then untying the string which held
them all together, run them over, one by one, till he came to the
letter in question, - LA VOILA! said he, clapping his hands: so,
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