| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: bellies' sake, creep, and intrude, and climb into the fold."
Never think Milton uses those three words to fill up his verse, as a
loose writer would. He needs all the three;--especially those
three, and no more than those--"creep," and "intrude," and "climb;"
no other words would or could serve the turn, and no more could be
added. For they exhaustively comprehend the three classes,
correspondent to the three characters, of men who dishonestly seek
ecclesiastical power. First, those who "CREEP" into the fold; who
do not care for office, nor name, but for secret influence, and do
all things occultly and cunningly, consenting to any servility of
office or conduct, so only that they may intimately discern, and
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Complete Angler by Izaak Walton: friend were here about eight or ten days ago ? But you must do me one
courtesy, it must be done instantly.
Hostess. I will do it, Mr. Piscator, and with all the speed I can.
Piscator. NOW, Sir, has not my hostess made haste? and does not the
fish look lovely?
Venator. Both, upon my word, Sir; and therefore let's say grace and fall
to eating of it.
Piscator. Well, Sir, how do you like it?
Venator. Trust me, 'tis as good meat as I ever tasted. Now let me thank
you for it, drink to you and beg a courtesy of you; but it must not be
denied me.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: book which lay on the Communion-table, he said aloud--
"I, Michael Henchard, on this morning of the sixteenth of
September, do take an oath before God here in this solemn
place that I will avoid all strong liquors for the space of
twenty-one years to come, being a year for every year that I
have lived. And this I swear upon the book before me; and
may I be strook dumb, blind, and helpless, if I break this
my oath!"
When he had said it and kissed the big book, the hay-trusser
arose, and seemed relieved at having made a start in a new
direction. While standing in the porch a moment he saw a
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
