| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: battle with effect should need arise?[5]--a golden rule which,
punctually obeyed by some, is disobeyed by others. Again, as all the
world knows, it is better to place day and night pickets[6] in front
of an encampment. Yet even that is a procedure which, carefully
observed at times, is at times as carelessly neglected. Once more: not
one man in ten thousand,[7] I suppose, but knows that when a force is
marching through a narrow defile, the safer method is to occupy
beforehand certain points of vantage.[8] Yet this precaution also has
been known to be neglected.
[5] See Thuc. ii. 81: "The Hellenic troops maintained order on the
march and kept a look-out until . . ."--Jowett.
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Collection of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter: got out of the wood; the moon
shone through the clouds, and
Pigling Bland saw a country that
was new to him.
The road crossed a moor; below
was a wide valley with a river
twinkling in the moonlight, and
beyond, in misty distance, lay
the hills.
He saw a small wooden hut,
made his way to it, and crept
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The House of Dust by Conrad Aiken: Misfortune dogs me, it always hunted me down.
And to-day the woman I love lies dead.
I gave her roses, a ring with opals;
These hands have touched her head.
'I bound her to me in all soft ways,
I bound her to me in a net of days,
Yet now she has gone in silence and said no word.
How can we face these dazzling things, I ask you?
There is no use: we cry: and are not heard.
'They cover a body with roses . . . I shall not see it . . .
Must one return to the lifeless walls of a city
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