| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Massimilla Doni by Honore de Balzac: self-concern which is the parent of all great human achievement. At
Venice, on the contrary, love and its myriad ties, the sweet business
of real happiness, fills up all the time.
In that country, love is so much a matter of course that the Duchess
was regarded as a wonder; for, in spite of her violent attachment to
Emilio, everybody was confident of her immaculate purity. And women
gave their sincere pity to the poor young man, who was regarded as a
victim to the virtue of his lady-love. At the same time, no one cared
to blame the Duchess, for in Italy religion is a power as much
respected as love.
Evening after evening Massimilla's box was the first object of every
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James: till morning. I had often said, 'I will never be a tramp. I
will never be cornered, for when that time comes, if ever it
comes, I will find a home in the bottom of the river.' But the
Lord so ordered it that when that time did come I was not able to
walk one quarter of the way to the river. As I sat there
thinking, I seemed to feel some great and mighty presence. I did
not know then what it was. I did learn afterwards that it was
Jesus, the sinner's friend. I walked up to the bar and pounded
it with my fist till I made the glasses rattle. Those who stood
by drinking looked on with scornful curiosity. I said I would
never take another drink, if I died on the street, and really I
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Oscar Wilde Miscellaneous by Oscar Wilde: FIRST MAN. We are afraid of him.
MYRRHINA. Why are ye afraid of him?
FIRST MAN. We do not know.
MYRRHINA. What is his name?
FIRST MAN. The voice that speaks to him at night time in the cavern
calls to him by the name of Honorius. It was also by the name of
Honorius that the three lepers who passed by once called to him. We
think that his name is Honorius.
MYRRHINA. Why did the three lepers call to him?
FIRST MAN. That he might heal them.
MYRRHINA. Did he heal them?
|
