| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin: his crutch, and, rising, pitched him head-foremost into the river.
I knew he was a good swimmer, and so was under little concern
about him; but before he could get round to lay hold of the boat,
we had with a few strokes pull'd her out of his reach; and ever when he
drew near the boat, we ask'd if he would row, striking a few strokes
to slide her away from him. He was ready to die with vexation,
and obstinately would not promise to row. However, seeing him at last
beginning to tire, we lifted him in and brought him home dripping
wet in the evening. We hardly exchang'd a civil word afterwards,
and a West India captain, who had a commission to procure a tutor
for the sons of a gentleman at Barbadoes, happening to meet with him,
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Ivanhoe by Walter Scott: they were lost under the boughs of the forest path,
when he was disturbed from his reverie by the voice
of Wamba.
``Knowest thou,'' said the Jester, ``my good
friend Gurth, that thou art strangely courteous and
most unwontedly pious on this summer morning?
I would I were a black Prior or a barefoot Palmer,
to avail myself of thy unwonted zeal and courtesy
---certes, I would make more out of it than a kiss
of the hand.''
``Thou art no fool thus far, Wamba,'' answered
Ivanhoe |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Love and Friendship by Jane Austen: speak of their persons in so extroidinary a Manner. Do not you
think the Miss Lesleys are two very handsome young Women?"
"Lord! No! (cried I) I think them terribly plain!"
"Plain! (replied He) My dear Susan, you cannot really think so!
Why what single Feature in the face of either of them, can you
possibly find fault with?"
"Oh! trust me for that; (replied I). Come I will begin with the
eldest--with Matilda. Shall I, William?" (I looked as cunning as
I could when I said it, in order to shame him).
"They are so much alike (said he) that I should suppose the
faults of one, would be the faults of both."
Love and Friendship |
