| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn: Kwairyo was pleased by this announcement of good resolve; and he said to
the aruji:--
"My friend, I have had occasion to observe that man, prone to folly in
their youth, may in after years become very earnest in right living. In the
holy sutras it is written that those strongest in wrong-doing can become,
by power of good resolve, the strongest in right-doing. I do not doubt
that you have a good heart; and I hope that better fortune will come to
you. To-night I shall recite the sutras for your sake, and pray that you
may obtain the force to overcome the karma of any past errors."
With these assurances, Kwairyo bade the aruji good-night; and his host
showed him to a very small side-room, where a bed had been made ready. Then
Kwaidan |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: his eyes brightening as he spoke.
"I may not, and I will not," replied the old man. "The ire of
princes Is as the wrath of the lion. But mark, and judge for
thyself. Here Venus, ascendant in the House of Life, and
conjoined with Sol, showers down that flood of silver light,
blent with gold, which promises power, wealth, dignity, all that
the proud heart of man desires, and in such abundance that never
the future Augustus of that old and mighty Rome heard from his
HARUSPICES such a tale of glory, as from this rich text my lore
might read to my favourite son."
"Thou dost but jest with me, father," said the Earl, astonished
Kenilworth |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells: pull through. But we're not. It's all too bulky to stop.
That's the first certainty." Eh?"
I assented.
"It is; I've thought it out. Very well, then--next; at
present we're caught as we're wanted. A Martian has only to go
a few miles to get a crowd on the run. And I saw one, one day,
out by Wandsworth, picking houses to pieces and routing
among the wreckage. But they won't keep on doing that.
So soon as they've settled all our guns and ships, and
smashed our railways, and done all the things they are
doing over there, they will begin catching us systematic, pick-
War of the Worlds |
