| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: and acquiesced; and thus having secured at least one merry face
at his bridal, he put on a light and ornamented cuirass,
concealed partly by a velvet coat, and partly by a broad blue
silk scarf, which he wore over his shoulder, agreeably to his
rank, and the fashion of the times.
Everything was now arranged; and it had been settled that,
according to the custom of the country, the bride and bridegroom
should not again meet until they were before the altar. The hour
had already struck that summoned the bridegroom thither, and he
only waited in a small anteroom adjacent to the chapel, for the
Marquis, who condescended to act as bride's-man upon the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Muse of the Department by Honore de Balzac: in the delirium of passion expressed with feeling worthy of Byron,
exacted from Paquita a vow of absolute fidelity, in the Cathedral at
Rouen in front of the alter of the Blessed Virgin, who
Though a Maid is a woman, and never forgives
When lovers are false to their vows.
A large part of the poem was devoted to describing Paquita's
sufferings when alone in Rouen waiting till the campaign was over; she
stood writhing at the window bars as she watched happy couples go by;
she suppressed her passion in her heart with a determination that
consumed her; she lived on narcotics, and exhausted herself in dreams.
Almost she died, but still her heart was true;
The Muse of the Department |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Facino Cane by Honore de Balzac: "Venice is a fine city; I have always had a fancy to go there."
The old man's face lighted up, the wrinkles began to work, he was
violently excited.
"If I went with you, you would not lose your time," he said.
"Don't talk about Venice to our Doge," put in the fiddle, "or you will
start him off, and he has stowed away a couple of bottles as it is--
has the prince!"
"Come, strike up, Daddy Canard!" added the flageolet, and the three
began to play. But while they executed the four figures of a square
dance, the Venetian was scenting my thoughts; he guessed the great
interest I felt in him. The dreary, dispirited look died out of his
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