| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving: any more than that stormy lover, Achilles. Ichabod, therefore,
made his advances in a quiet and gently insinuating manner. Under
cover of his character of singing-master, he made frequent visits
at the farmhouse; not that he had anything to apprehend from the
meddlesome interference of parents, which is so often a
stumbling-block in the path of lovers. Balt Van Tassel was an
easy indulgent soul; he loved his daughter better even than his
pipe, and, like a reasonable man and an excellent father, let her
have her way in everything. His notable little wife, too, had
enough to do to attend to her housekeeping and manage her
poultry; for, as she sagely observed, ducks and geese are foolish
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Walden by Henry David Thoreau: Walden Pond was not to live cheaply nor to live dearly there, but to
transact some private business with the fewest obstacles; to be
hindered from accomplishing which for want of a little common sense,
a little enterprise and business talent, appeared not so sad as
foolish.
I have always endeavored to acquire strict business habits; they
are indispensable to every man. If your trade is with the Celestial
Empire, then some small counting house on the coast, in some Salem
harbor, will be fixture enough. You will export such articles as
the country affords, purely native products, much ice and pine
timber and a little granite, always in native bottoms. These will
Walden |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Mrs. Warren's Profession by George Bernard Shaw: managing such things. We've got two in Brussels, one in Ostend,
one in Vienna, and two in Budapest. Of course there are others
besides ourselves in it; but we hold most of the capital; and
your mother's indispensable as managing director. Youve noticed,
I daresay, that she travels a good deal. But you see you cant
mention such things in society. Once let out the word hotel and
everybody thinks you keep a public-house. You wouldnt like
people to say that of your mother, would you? Thats why we're so
reserved about it. By the way, youll keep it to yourself, wont
you? Since it's been a secret so long, it had better remain so.
VIVIE. And this is the business you invite me to join you in?
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