| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Walking by Henry David Thoreau: grass like a horse and leaves all his harness behind in the
stable. I would say to the Society for the Diffusion of Useful
Knowledge, sometimes,--Go to grass. You have eaten hay long
enough. The spring has come with its green crop. The very cows
are driven to their country pastures before the end of May;
though I have heard of one unnatural farmer who kept his cow in
the barn and fed her on hay all the year round. So, frequently,
the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge treats its
cattle.
A man's ignorance sometimes is not only useful, but
beautiful--while his knowledge, so called, is oftentimes worse
Walking |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce: things, and used to cheat at cards. In other respects he was a
perfect gentleman, though a fool."
SALACITY, n. A certain literary quality frequently observed in
popular novels, especially in those written by women and young girls,
who give it another name and think that in introducing it they are
occupying a neglected field of letters and reaping an overlooked
harvest. If they have the misfortune to live long enough they are
tormented with a desire to burn their sheaves.
SALAMANDER, n. Originally a reptile inhabiting fire; later, an
anthropomorphous immortal, but still a pyrophile. Salamanders are now
believed to be extinct, the last one of which we have an account
The Devil's Dictionary |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: house, and from a back window, looked out upon the market-place.
Torches waved to and fro, in the hands of a wide circle of Spanish
soldiers. I sharpened my unaccustomed sight, and out of the darkness there
arose before me a scaffold, black, spacious, and lofty! The sight filled me
with horror. Several persons were employed in covering with black cloth
such portions of the wood-work as yet remained white and visible. The
steps were covered last, also with black;--I saw it all. They seemed
preparing for the celebration of some horrible sacrifice. A white crucifix,
that shone like silver through the night, was raised on one side. As I gazed
the terrible conviction strengthened in my mind. Scattered torches still
gleamed here and there; gradually they flickered and went out. Suddenly
Egmont |
