| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Tapestried Chamber by Walter Scott: embarrassment which was obvious to his friend. He then hastily
swallowed a cup of tea, and neglecting or refusing whatever else
was offered, seemed to fall into a fit of abstraction.
"You will take the gun to-day, General?" said his friend and
host, but had to repeat the question twice ere he received the
abrupt answer, "No, my lord; I am sorry I cannot have the
opportunity of spending another day with your lordship; my post
horses are ordered, and will be here directly."
All who were present showed surprise, and Lord Woodville
immediately replied "Post horses, my good friend! What can you
possibly want with them when you promised to stay with me quietly
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Snow Image by Nathaniel Hawthorne: might have upon the election. Magnificent preparations were made
to receive the illustrious statesman; a cavalcade of horsemen set
forth to meet him at the boundary line of the State, and all the
people left their business and gathered along the wayside to see
him pass. Among these was Ernest. Though more than once
disappointed, as we have seen, he had such a hopeful and
confiding nature, that he was always ready to believe in whatever
seemed beautiful and good. He kept his heart continually open,
and thus was sure to catch the blessing from on high when it
should come. So now again, as buoyantly as ever, he went forth to
behold the likeness of the Great Stone Face.
The Snow Image |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from In the Cage by Henry James: Post--and who come up for the season."
Mrs. Jordan took this in with complete intelligence. "Yes, and I
dare say it's some of your people that I do."
Her companion assented, but discriminated. "I doubt if you 'do'
them as much as I! Their affairs, their appointments and
arrangements, their little games and secrets and vices--those
things all pass before me."
This was a picture that could make a clergyman's widow not
imperceptibly gasp; it was in intention moreover something of a
retort to the thousand tulips. "Their vices? Have they got
vices?"
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