| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Art of Writing by Robert Louis Stevenson: there are rhymes for the eye, so you will find that there are
assonances and alliterations; that where an author is running
the open A, deceived by the eye and our strange English
spelling, he will often show a tenderness for the flat A; and
that where he is running a particular consonant, he will not
improbably rejoice to write it down even when it is mute or
bears a different value.
Here, then, we have a fresh pattern - a pattern, to speak
grossly, of letters - which makes the fourth preoccupation of
the prose writer, and the fifth of the versifier. At times
it is very delicate and hard to perceive, and then perhaps
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Eve and David by Honore de Balzac: always rejoice in your enjoyment, forbidden to me. In short, my self
shall become your self! Well, if a day should come when this pact
between man and the tempter, this agreement between the child and the
diplomatist should no longer suit your ideas, you can still look about
for some quiet spot, like that pool of which you were speaking, and
drown yourself; you will only be as you are now, or a little more or a
little less wretched and dishonored."
"This is not like the Archbishop of Granada's homily," said Lucien as
they stopped to change horses.
"Call this concentrated education by what name you will, my son, for
you are my son, I adopt you henceforth, and shall make you my heir; it
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Master Key by L. Frank Baum: believe they are kind when their natures are cruel. This hypocrisy
seems to be a human failing. One of your writers has said, with
truth, that among civilized people things are seldom what they seem."
"I've heard that," remarked Rob.
"On the other hand," continued the Demon, "some people with fierce
countenances are kindly by nature, and many who appear to be evil are
in reality honorable and trustworthy. Therefore, that you may judge
all your fellow-creatures truly, and know upon whom to depend, I give
you the Character Marker. It consists of this pair of spectacles.
While you wear them every one you meet will be marked upon the
forehead with a letter indicating his or her character. The good will
The Master Key |
