| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) by Dante Alighieri: Through thy sev'n regions; for which best thanks
I for thy favour will to her return,
If mention there below thou not disdain."
"Marcia so pleasing in my sight was found,"
He then to him rejoin'd, "while I was there,
That all she ask'd me I was fain to grant.
Now that beyond the' accursed stream she dwells,
She may no longer move me, by that law,
Which was ordain'd me, when I issued thence.
Not so, if Dame from heaven, as thou sayst,
Moves and directs thee; then no flattery needs.
The Divine Comedy (translated by H.F. Cary) |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: who welcomed it most gladly, and daily sprinkled its soft leaves
with his small share of water, that the little vine might live,
even if it darkened more and more his dim cell.
The watchful Brownies saw this kind deed, and brought him fresh
flowers, and many things, which Thistle gratefully received, though
he never knew it was his kindness to the vine that gained for him
these pleasures.
Thus did poor Thistle strive to be more gentle and unselfish, and
grew daily happier and better.
Now while Thistledown was a captive in the lonely cell, Lily-Bell was
seeking him far and wide, and sadly traced him by the sorrowing hearts
Flower Fables |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley: set to work to do what they did not like. But the longer they
waited, and behaved like the dumb beasts, who only do what they
like, the stupider and clumsier they grew; till at last they were
past all cure, for they had thrown their own wits away. It is such
things as this that help to make me so ugly, that I know not when I
shall grow fair."
"And where are they all now?" asked Ellie.
"Exactly where they ought to be, my dear."
"Yes!" said the fairy, solemnly, half to herself, as she closed the
wonderful book. "Folks say now that I can make beasts into men, by
circumstance, and selection, and competition, and so forth. Well,
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