| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau: to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to wash his
hands of it, and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to
give it practically his support. If I devote myself to
other pursuits and contemplations, I must first see, at
least, that I do not pursue them sitting upon another man's
shoulders. I must get off him first, that he may pursue his
contemplations too. See what gross inconsistency is tolerated.
I have heard some of my townsmen say, "I should like to
have them order me out to help put down an insurrection
of the slaves, or to march to Mexico--see if I would go";
and yet these very men have each, directly by their
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Herodias by Gustave Flaubert: erected thy Temple?"
Then the Pharisees, children of the proscribed tribes, partisans of
Mattathias, accused the tetrarch of all the crimes committed by his
family.
The Pharisees had pointed skulls, bristling beards, feeble hands, snub
noses, great round eyes, and their countenances bore a resemblance to
that of a bull-dog. A dozen of these people, scribes and attendants
upon the priests, who picked up their living from the refuse of
holocausts, rushed to the foot of the pavilion and threatened Antipas
with their knives. He attempted to speak to them, being only slightly
protected by some of the Sadducees. Suddenly he perceived Mannaeus at
Herodias |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Red Seal by Natalie Sumner Lincoln: to write with," he demanded of Sylvester. Accepting the clerk's
fountain pen without thanks, he walked over to the center table and,
drawing out his leather wallet, took from it a visiting card and,
stooping over, wrote
You have but thirty-six hours remaining.
McIntyre.
"See that Mr. Kent gets this card," he directed. "No, don't put it
there," irascibly, as the clerk laid the card on top of a pile of
letters. "Take it into Mr. Kent's office and put it on his desk."
There was that about Colonel McIntyre which inspired complete
obedience to his wishes, and Sylvester followed his directions
The Red Seal |
