| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Fisherman's Luck by Henry van Dyke: You cannot follow him along the shore. You cannot even lead him
into quiet water, where the gaffer can creep near to him unseen and
drag him in with a quick stroke. You must fight your fish to a
finish, and all the advantages are on his side. The current is
terribly strong. If he makes up his mind to go downstream to the
sea, the only thing you can do is to hold him by main force; and
then it is ten to one that the hook tears out or the leader breaks.
It is not in human nature for one man to watch another handling a
fish in such a place without giving advice. "Keep the tip of your
rod up. Don’t let your reel overrun. Stir him up a little, he ‘s
sulking. Don’t let him ‘jig,’ or you‘ll lose him. You ‘re playing
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Ursula by Honore de Balzac: the doctor turned to benevolence as a substitute for his denied
paternity. During his married life, thus cruelly disappointed, he had
longed more especially for a fair little daughter, a flower to bring
joy to the house; he therefore gladly accepted Joseph Mirouet's
legacy, and gave to the orphan all the hopes of his vanished dreams.
For two years he took part, as Cato for Pompey, in the most minute
particulars of Ursula's life; he would not allow the nurse to suckle
her or to take her up or put her to bed without him. His medical
science and his experience were all put to use in her service. After
going through many trials, alternations of hope and fear, and the joys
and labors of a mother, he had the happiness of seeing this child of
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: Baron's additions, and certain improvements, might yield twenty
thousand francs a year, besides the value of the house, rents, and
preserves. So Rosalie and her mother, who soon adopted the Paris style
and fashions, easily obtained introductions to the best society. The
golden key--eighteen hundred thousand francs-- embroidered on
Mademoiselle de Watteville's stomacher, did more for the Comtesse de
Soulas than her pretensions /a la/ de Rupt, her inappropriate pride,
or even her rather distant great connections.
In the month of February 1838 Rosalie, who was eagerly courted by many
young men, achieved the purpose which had brought her to Paris. This
was to meet the Duchesse de Rhetore, to see this wonderful woman, and
Albert Savarus |
