| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Tapestried Chamber by Walter Scott: Queen Elizabeth's reign; and the events took place in Liddesdale,
a hilly and pastoral district of Roxburghshire, which, on a part
of its boundary, is divided from England only by a small river.
During the good old times of RUGGING AND RIVING--that is, tugging
and tearing--under which term the disorderly doings of the
warlike age are affectionately remembered, this valley was
principally cultivated by the sept or clan of the Armstrongs.
The chief of this warlike race was the Laird of Mangerton. At
the period of which I speak, the estate of Mangerton, with the
power and dignity of chief, was possessed by John Armstrong, a
man of great size, strength, and courage. While his father was
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: art of those whom you call, and rightly, in my opinion, dialecticians:--
Still we are in the dark about rhetoric.
SOCRATES: What do you mean? The remains of it, if there be anything
remaining which can be brought under rules of art, must be a fine thing;
and, at any rate, is not to be despised by you and me. But how much is
left?
PHAEDRUS: There is a great deal surely to be found in books of rhetoric?
SOCRATES: Yes; thank you for reminding me:--There is the exordium, showing
how the speech should begin, if I remember rightly; that is what you mean--
the niceties of the art?
PHAEDRUS: Yes.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Egmont by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe: already been thought of and maturely weighed. I have no commission a
second time to balance conflicting arguments. From the people I demand
submission;--and from you, their leaders and princes, I demand counsel
and support, as pledges of this unconditional duty.
Egmont. Demand our heads, and your object Is attained; to a noble soul it
must be indifferent whether he stoop his neck to such a yoke, or lay it
upon the block. I have spoken much to little purpose. I have agitated the
air, but accomplished nothing.
[Enter Ferdinand.
Ferdinand. Pardon my intrusion. Here is a letter, the bearer of which
urgently demands an answer.
Egmont |
