| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Philebus by Plato: metaphysical conceptions which are presented to us. These are (I) the
paradox of unity and plurality; (II) the table of categories or elements;
(III) the kinds of pleasure; (IV) the kinds of knowledge; (V) the
conception of the good. We may then proceed to examine (VI) the relation
of the Philebus to the Republic, and to other dialogues.
I. The paradox of the one and many originated in the restless dialectic of
Zeno, who sought to prove the absolute existence of the one by showing the
contradictions that are involved in admitting the existence of the many
(compare Parm.). Zeno illustrated the contradiction by well-known examples
taken from outward objects. But Socrates seems to intimate that the time
had arrived for discarding these hackneyed illustrations; such difficulties
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll: different words.
Choose one of them, darling. I'll give you which ever you like best."
[Image...The crimson locket]
Sylvie whispered the words, several times over, with a thoughtful
smile, and then made her decision. "It's very nice to be loved,"
she said: "but it's nicer to love other people! May I have the red one,
Father?"
The old man said nothing: but I could see his eyes fill with tears,
as he bent his head and pressed his lips to her forehead in a long loving
kiss. Then he undid the chain, and showed her how to fasten it round
her neck, and to hide it away under the edge of her frock. "It's for
Sylvie and Bruno |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Somebody's Little Girl by Martha Young: laughing again.
``Yes, I am a Mama, and I have three little girls about as funny as
you are.''
Another time a lady passed by the cabin where Bessie Bell stood
leaning against the little fluted white post of the gallery, and
said:
``Good morning, Bessie Bell. I am Alice's Mama.''
That made things so simple, thought Bessie Bell. This lady was a
Mama. And she was Alice's Mama.
Bessie Bell wished that all would tell in that nice way at once
whether they were Mamas or Just-Ladies.
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