| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Message by Honore de Balzac: seedy black coat, a pair of threadbare trousers, a flabby cravat,
or a crumpled shirt collar. There was a touch of the magistrate
in the man, a good deal more of the Councillor of the Prefecture,
all the self-importance of the mayor of the arrondissement, the
local autocrat, and the soured temper of the unsuccessful
candidate who has never been returned since the year 1816. As to
countenance--a wizened, wrinkled, sunburned face, and long, sleek
locks of scanty gray hair; as to character--an incredible mixture
of homely sense and sheer silliness; of a rich man's overbearing
ways, and a total lack of manners; just the kind of husband who
is almost entirely led by his wife, yet imagines himself to be
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: "No more than yourself!" retorted Marius rudely, who had begun
to notice that this police agent had not yet said "monsieur" to him.
The inspector stared still more intently at Marius, and continued
with sententious solemnity:--
"There, you speak like a brave man, and like an honest man.
Courage does not fear crime, and honesty does not fear authority."
Marius interrupted him:--
"That is well, but what do you intend to do?"
The inspector contented himself with the remark:--
"The lodgers have pass-keys with which to get in at night.
You must have one."
Les Miserables |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from A Legend of Montrose by Walter Scott: military service of countries which were at war with each other.
They were distinguished on the Continent by their bravery; but in
adopting the trade of mercenary soldiers, they necessarily
injured their national character. The tincture of learning,
which most of them possessed, degenerated into pedantry; their
good breeding became mere ceremonial; their fear of dishonour no
longer kept them aloof from that which was really unworthy, but
was made to depend on certain punctilious observances totally
apart from that which was in itself deserving of praise. A
cavalier of honour, in search of his fortune, might, for example,
change his service as he would his shirt, fight, like the doughty
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