| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Statesman by Plato: But suppose, once more, that we were to appoint some one as the guardian of
the law, who was both ignorant and interested, and who perverted the law:
would not this be a still worse evil than the other? 'Certainly.' For the
laws are based on some experience and wisdom. Hence the wiser course is,
that they should be observed, although this is not the best thing of all,
but only the second best. And whoever, having skill, should try to improve
them, would act in the spirit of the law-giver. But then, as we have seen,
no great number of men, whether poor or rich, can be makers of laws. And
so, the nearest approach to true government is, when men do nothing
contrary to their own written laws and national customs. When the rich
preserve their customs and maintain the law, this is called aristocracy, or
Statesman |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Sir John Mandeville: on the walls. That city of Alexandria is well thirty furlongs in
length, but it is but ten on largeness; and it is a full noble city
and a fair. At that city entereth the river of Nile into the sea,
as I to you have said before. In that river men find many precious
stones, and much also of lignum aloes; and it is a manner of wood,
that cometh out of Paradise terrestrial, the which is good for many
diverse medicines, and it is right dear-worth. And from Alexandria
men go to Babylon, where the sultan dwelleth; that sits also upon
the river of Nile: and this way is the most short, for to go
straight unto Babylon.
Now shall I say you also the way, that goeth from Babylon to the
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Paradise Lost by John Milton: We war, if war be best, or to regain
Our own right lost. Him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield
To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife.
The former, vain to hope, argues as vain
The latter; for what place can be for us
Within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's Lord supreme
We overpower? Suppose he should relent
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new subjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his presence humble, and receive
Paradise Lost |
