| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Economist by Xenophon: one long practice of this very skill,[20] now pleading as defendant
that, as far as I am able, I do good to many and hurt nobody? And
then, again, you must admit, I play the part of prosecutor when
accusing people whom I recognise to be offenders, as a rule in private
life, or possibly against the state, the good-for-nothing fellows?
[20] "The arts of the defendant, the apologist; and of the plaintiff,
the prosecutor."
But please explain one other thing, Ischomachus (I answered). Do you
put defence and accusation into formal language?[21]
[21] "Does your practice include the art of translating into words
your sentiments?" Cf. "Mem." I. ii. 52.
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Middlemarch by George Eliot: in their own deliberate speech. Yet, after all, had she any love
for him?--he could not pretend to himself that he would rather believe
her to be without that pain. He could not deny that a secret longing
for the assurance that she loved him was at the root of all his words.
Neither of them knew how long they stood in that way. Dorothea was
raising her eyes, and was about to speak, when the door opened
and her footman came to say--
"The horses are ready, madam, whenever you like to start."
"Presently," said Dorothea. Then turning to Will, she said,
"I have some memoranda to write for the housekeeper."
"I must go," said Will, when the door had closed again--advancing
Middlemarch |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Of The Nature of Things by Lucretius: It leaves those pristine vestiges behind
Of each mind's nature. Nor may we suppose
Evil can e'er be rooted up so far
That one man's not more given to fits of wrath,
Another's not more quickly touched by fear,
A third not more long-suffering than he should.
And needs must differ in many things besides
The varied natures and resulting habits
Of humankind- of which not now can I
Expound the hidden causes, nor find names
Enough for all the divers shapes of those
Of The Nature of Things |
