| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Secrets of the Princesse de Cadignan by Honore de Balzac: prepare us for death" (she made a gesture full of pious unction). "All
things served me then," she continued; "the disasters of the monarchy
and its ruin helped me to bury myself. My son consoles me for much.
Maternal love takes the place of all frustrated feelings. The world is
surprised at my retirement, but to me it has brought peace. Ah! if you
knew how happy the poor creature before you is in this little place.
In sacrificing all to my son I forget to think of joys of which I am
and ever must be ignorant. Yes, hope has flown, I now fear everything;
no doubt I should repulse the truest sentiment, the purest and most
veritable love, in memory of the deceptions and the miseries of my
life. It is all horrible, is it not? and yet, what I have told you is
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Damaged Goods by Upton Sinclair: been feeling quite well. I've been having a slight cough. Have
you noticed it?"
"Why no!" exclaimed Henriette, anxiously.
"Well, today I went to see a doctor, and he says that there is a
possibility--you understand it is nothing very serious--but it
might be--I might possibly have lung trouble."
"George!" cried the girl in horror.
He put his hand upon hers. "Don't be frightened," he said. "It
will be all right, only I have to take care of myself." How very
dear of her, he thought--to be so much worried!
"George, you ought to go away to the country!" she cried. "You
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Menexenus by Plato: a source of happiness to us. And we shall most likely be defeated, and you
will most likely be victors in the contest, if you learn so to order your
lives as not to abuse or waste the reputation of your ancestors, knowing
that to a man who has any self-respect, nothing is more dishonourable than
to be honoured, not for his own sake, but on account of the reputation of
his ancestors. The honour of parents is a fair and noble treasure to their
posterity, but to have the use of a treasure of wealth and honour, and to
leave none to your successors, because you have neither money nor
reputation of your own, is alike base and dishonourable. And if you follow
our precepts you will be received by us as friends, when the hour of
destiny brings you hither; but if you neglect our words and are disgraced
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