| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: beneath their soft green curtains. All was cool and still, and the
Elves glided silently about, lest they should break their slumbers.
They led Eva to a bed of pure white leaves, above which drooped
the fragrant petals of a crimson rose.
"You can look at the bright colors till the light fades, and then
the rose will sing you to sleep," said the Elves, as they folded the
soft leaves about her, gently kissed her, and stole away.
Long she lay watching the bright shadows, and listening to the song
of the rose, while through the long night dreams of lovely things
floated like bright clouds through her mind; while the rose bent
lovingly above her, and sang in the clear moonlight.
Flower Fables |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: you have been much juster to us than we have been to you;
for we have all looked upon you as a kind of snare to my son,
and I had a proposal to make to you for your removing, for
fear of it; but I had not yet mentioned it to you, because I
thought you were not thorough well, and I was afraid of
grieving you too much, lest it should throw you down again;
for we have all a respect for you still, though not so much as
to have it be the ruin of my son; but if it be as you say, we have
all wronged you very much.'
'As to the truth of what I say, madam,' said I, 'refer you to
your son himself; if he will do me any justice, he must tell you
Moll Flanders |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Eryxias by Platonic Imitator: is a work of human agency.
And is virtue in your opinion, Prodicus, innate or acquired by instruction?
The latter, said Prodicus.
Then you would consider him a simpleton who supposed that he could obtain
by praying to the Gods the knowledge of grammar or music or any other art,
which he must either learn from another or find out for himself?
Prodicus agreed to this also.
And when you pray to the Gods that you may do well and receive good, you
mean by your prayer nothing else than that you desire to become good and
wise:--if, at least, things are good to the good and wise and evil to the
evil. But in that case, if virtue is acquired by instruction, it would
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