The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from What is Man? by Mark Twain: built the rest of him out of plaster of Paris. We ran short of
plaster of Paris, or we'd have built a brontosaur that could sit
down beside the Stratford Shakespeare and none but an expert
could tell which was biggest or contained the most plaster.
Shakespeare pronounced "Venus and Adonis" "the first heir of
his invention," apparently implying that it was his first effort
at literary composition. He should not have said it. It has
been an embarrassment to his historians these many, many years.
They have to make him write that graceful and polished and
flawless and beautiful poem before he escaped from Stratford and
his family--1586 or '87--age, twenty-two, or along there; because
 What is Man? |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Common Sense by Thomas Paine: An inquiry into the CONSTITUTIONAL ERRORS in the English form
of government is at this time highly necessary; for as we are never
in a proper condition of doing justice to others, while we continue under
the influence of some leading partiality, so neither are we capable of
doing it to ourselves while we remain fettered by any obstinate prejudice.
And as a man. who is attached to a prostitute, is unfitted to choose
or judge a wife, so any prepossession in favour of a rotten constitution
of government will disable us from discerning a good one.
OF MONARCHY AND HEREDITARY SUCCESSION
Mankind being originally equals in the order of creation, the equality
could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance; the distinctions
 Common Sense |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Talisman by Walter Scott: Master; "the Marquis shall not confess this morning, unless it be
to me, for I part not from his side."
"Is this YOUR pleasure?" said the hermit to Conrade; "for think
not I will obey that proud man, if you continue to desire my
assistance."
"Alas," said Conrade irresolutely, "what would you have me say?
Farewell for a while---we will speak anon."
"O procrastination!" exclaimed the hermit, "thou art a soul-
murderer!--Unhappy man, farewell--not for a while, but until we
shall both meet no matter where. And for thee," he added,
turning to the Grand Master, "TREMBLE!"
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