| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Lin McLean by Owen Wister: know that progress cannot spare land and water for such things. "But
Billy," Lin resumed, "has agreed to school again when it starts up in the
fall. He takes his medicine because I want him to." Affection crept anew
over the cow-puncher's face. "He can learn books with the quickest when
he wants, that Bear Creek school-marm says. But he'd ought to have a
regular mother till--till I can do for him, yu' know. It's onwholesome
him seeing and hearing the boys--and me, and me when I forget!--but
shucks! how can I fix it? Billy was sure enough dropped and deserted. But
when I found him the little calf could run and notice like everything!"
"I should hate your contract, Lin," said I. "Adopting's a touch-and-go
business even when a man has a home."
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The War in the Air by H. G. Wells: quite novel idea. After all, he might have torn up those plans
and thrown them away. These people could not have done so very
much to him. And even if they did, ought not an Englishman to
die for his country? It was an idea that had hitherto been
rather smothered up by the cares of a competitive civilisation.
He became violently depressed. He ought, he perceived, to have
seen it in that light before. Why hadn't he seen it in that
light before?
Indeed, wasn't he a sort of traitor?....He wondered how the
aerial fleet must look from down there. Tremendous, no doubt,
and dwarfing all the buildings.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Georgics by Virgil: Apples, moreover, soon as first they feel
Their stems wax lusty, and have found their strength,
To heaven climb swiftly, self-impelled, nor crave
Our succour. All the grove meanwhile no less
With fruit is swelling, and the wild haunts of birds
Blush with their blood-red berries. Cytisus
Is good to browse on, the tall forest yields
Pine-torches, and the nightly fires are fed
And shoot forth radiance. And shall men be loath
To plant, nor lavish of their pains? Why trace
Things mightier? Willows even and lowly brooms
Georgics |
