| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Unseen World and Other Essays by John Fiske: to account for Mozart's precocity save by supposing his
pre-existence? He brought with him the musical skill acquired in
a previous life. In general, the souls of musical children come
from nightingales, while the souls of great architects have
passed into them from beavers (p. 247). We do not remember these
past existences, it is true; but when we become ether-folk, we
shall be able to look back in recollection over the whole series.
Amid these sublime inquiries, M. Figuier is sometimes notably
oblivious of humbler truths, as might indeed be expected. Thus he
repeatedly alludes to Locke as the author of the doctrine of
innate ideas (!!),[14] and he informs us that Kepler never
The Unseen World and Other Essays |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from King Lear by William Shakespeare: the
head, dogs and bears by th' neck, monkeys by th' loins, and
men
by th' legs. When a man's over-lusty at legs, then he wears
wooden nether-stocks.
Lear. What's he that hath so much thy place mistook
To set thee here?
Kent. It is both he and she-
Your son and daughter.
Lear. No.
Kent. Yes.
King Lear |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Lily of the Valley by Honore de Balzac: had sat up the night before, that she must get a nurse, as the illness
would be a long one.
"A nurse!" she said; "no, no! We will take care of him," she added,
looking at me; "we owe it to ourselves to save him."
The doctor gave us both an observing look full of astonishment. The
words were of a nature to make him suspect an atonement. He promised
to come twice a week, left directions for the treatment with Monsieur
Deslandes, and pointed out the threatening symptoms that might oblige
us to send for him. I asked the countess to let me sit up the
alternate nights and then, not without difficulty, I persuaded her to
go to bed on the third night. When the house was still and the count
The Lily of the Valley |
