The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Market-Place by Harold Frederic: seemed able to maintain itself most easily.
For these reasons, they had already been mulcted in differences
to the extent of, in round numbers, 165,000 pounds.
On the morrow, the twelfth of September, it was Thorpe's
plan to allow them to buy in the shares they needed,
at 22 or 23 pounds per share--which would take from them
nearly 200,000 pounds more. He had satisfied himself
that they could, and would if necessary, pay this enormous
ransom for their final escape from the "corner." Partly
because it was not so certain that they could pay more,
partly because he was satiated with spoils and tired
 The Market-Place |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain: as the average European family lives would make life
a pretty heavy burden to the average American family.
On the whole, I think that short visits to Europe are
better for us than long ones. The former preserve us from
becoming Europeanized; they keep our pride of country intact,
and at the same time they intensify our affection for our
country and our people; whereas long visits have the effect
of dulling those feelings--at least in the majority
of cases. I think that one who mixes much with Americans
long resident abroad must arrive at this conclusion.
APPENDIX ----------
|
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Ball at Sceaux by Honore de Balzac: in our government machinery that they have no great fortunes. Those
who are rich look to becoming richer. The wealthiest member of our
peerage has not half the income of the least rich lord in the English
Upper Chamber. Thus all the French peers are on the lookout for great
heiresses for their sons, wherever they may meet with them. The
necessity in which they find themselves of marrying for money will
certainly exist for at least two centuries.
"Pending such a fortunate accident as you long for--and this
fastidiousness may cost you the best years of your life--your
attractions might work a miracle, for men often marry for love in
these days. When experience lurks behind so sweet a face as yours it
|