| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Philebus by Plato: good, but that we should have a principle of choice. He did not intend to
oppose 'the useful' to some higher conception, such as the Platonic ideal,
but to chance and caprice. The Platonic Socrates pursues the same vein of
thought in the Protagoras, where he argues against the so-called sophist
that pleasure and pain are the final standards and motives of good and
evil, and that the salvation of human life depends upon a right estimate of
pleasures greater or less when seen near and at a distance. The testimony
of Xenophon is thus confirmed by that of Plato, and we are therefore
justified in calling Socrates the first utilitarian; as indeed there is no
side or aspect of philosophy which may not with reason be ascribed to him--
he is Cynic and Cyrenaic, Platonist and Aristotelian in one. But in the
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne: and by overthrowing the systems, both of Prignitz and Scroderus, drove my
father out of both sides of the controversy at once.
Be witness--
I don't acquaint the learned reader--in saying it, I mention it only to
shew the learned, I know the fact myself--
That this Ambrose Paraeus was chief surgeon and nose-mender to Francis the
ninth of France, and in high credit with him and the two preceding, or
succeeding kings (I know not which)--and that, except in the slip he made
in his story of Taliacotius's noses, and his manner of setting them on--he
was esteemed by the whole college of physicians at that time, as more
knowing in matters of noses, than any one who had ever taken them in hand.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell: and I felt worn and depressed.
In my old home I always knew that John and my master were my friends;
but here, although in many ways I was well treated, I had no friend.
York might have known, and very likely did know, how that rein harassed me;
but I suppose he took it as a matter of course that it could not be helped;
at any rate, nothing was done to relieve me.
24 The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse
Early in the spring, Lord W---- and part of his family went up to London,
and took York with them. I and Ginger and some other horses
were left at home for use, and the head groom was left in charge.
The Lady Harriet, who remained at the hall, was a great invalid,
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