| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from King Lear by William Shakespeare: Whereof, perchance, these are but furnishings-
But, true it is, from France there comes a power
Into this scattered kingdom, who already,
Wise in our negligence, have secret feet
In some of our best ports and are at point
To show their open banner. Now to you:
If on my credit you dare build so far
To make your speed to Dover, you shall find
Some that will thank you, making just report
Of how unnatural and bemadding sorrow
The King hath cause to plain.
King Lear |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Catherine de Medici by Honore de Balzac: does not wish to move without an order from his masters. Being the
uncle of Monseigneur, he will not leave him in the lurch; and this
generous prince does not hesitate to fling himself into danger to
force Anne de Montmorency to a decision. All is prepared, and we have
cast our eyes on you as the means of communicating to Queen Catherine
our treaty of alliance, the drafts of edicts, and the bases of the new
government. The court is at Blois. Many of our friends are with it;
but they are to be our future chiefs, and, like Monseigneur," he
added, motioning to the prince, "they must not be suspected. The
queen-mother and our friends are so closely watched that it is
impossible to employ as intermediary any known person of importance;
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Commission in Lunacy by Honore de Balzac: my motives were, I explained to him that I was as poor as he, but that
I had enough money to start a speculation in which he might be
usefully employed. My tutor was the Abbe Grozier, whom Charles X. on
my recommendation appointed Keeper of the Books at the Arsenal, which
were returned to that Prince when he was still Monsieur. The Abbe
Grozier was deeply learned with regard to China, its manners and
customs; he made me heir to this knowledge at an age when it is
difficult not to become a fanatic for the things we learn. At five-
and-twenty I knew Chinese, and I confess I have never been able to
check myself in an exclusive admiration for that nation, who conquered
their conquerors, whose annals extend back indisputably to a period
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