the coming race-第8部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

hey　did　so；　it　was　always　in　their　power　to　migrate；　or　at　the　worst　to　apply；　without　shame　and　with　certainty　of　aid；　to　the　rich；　for　all　the　members　of　the　community　considered　themselves　as　brothers　of　one　affectionate　and　united　family。　　More　upon　this　head　will　be　treated　of　incidentally　as　my　narrative　proceeds。　38　The　chief　care　of　the　supreme　magistrate　was　to　communicate　with　certain　active　departments　charged　with　the　administration　of　special　details。　　The　most　important　and　essential　of　such　details　was　that　connected　with　the　due　provision　of　light。　　Of　this　department　my　host；　Aph…Lin；　was　the　chief。　　Another　department；　which　might　be　called　the　foreign；　communicated　with　the　neighbouring　kindred　states；　principally　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　all　new　inventions；　and　to　a　third　department　all　such　inventions　and　improvements　in　machinery　were　committed　for　trial。　　Connected　with　this　department　was　the　College　of　Sages…　a　college　especially　favoured　by　such　of　the　Ana　as　were　widowed　and　childless；　and　by　the　young　unmarried　females；　amongst　whom　Zee　was　the　most　active；　and；　if　what　we　call　renown　or　distinction　was　a　thing　acknowledged　by　this　people　（which　I　shall　later　show　it　is　not）；　among　the　more　renowned　or　distinguished。　　It　is　by　the　female　Professors　of　this　College　that　those　studies　which　are　deemed　of　least　use　in　practical　life…　as　purely　speculative　philosophy；　the　history　of　remote　periods；　and　such　sciences　as　entomology；　conchology；　&c。…　are　the　more　diligently　cultivated。　　Zee；　whose　mind；　active　as　Aristotle's；　equally　embraced　the　largest　domains　and　the　minutest　details　of　thought；　had　written　two　volumes　on　the　parasite　insect　that　dwells　amid　the　hairs　of　a　tiger's*　paw；　which　work　was　considered　the　best　authority　on　that　interesting　subject。

*　The　animal　here　referred　to　has　many　points　of　difference　from　the　tiger　of　the　upper　world。　　It　is　larger；　and　with　a　broader　paw；　and　still　more　receding　frontal。　　It　haunts　the　side　of　lakes　and　pools；　and　feeds　principally　on　fishes；　though　it　does　not　object　to　any　terrestrial　animal　of　inferior　strength　that　comes　in　its　way。　　It　is　becoming　very　scarce　even　in　the　wild　districts；　where　it　is　devoured　by　gigantic　reptiles。　　I　apprehended　that　it　clearly　belongs　to　the　tiger　species；　since　the　parasite　animalcule　found　in　its　paw；　like　that　in　the　Asiatic　tiger；　is　a　miniature　image　of　itself。

But　the　researches　of　the　sages　are　not　confined　to　such　subtle　or　elegant　studies。　　They　comprise　various　others　more　39important；　and　especially　the　properties　of　vril；　to　the　perception　of　which　their　finer　nervous　organisation　renders　the　female　Professors　eminently　keen。　　It　is　out　of　this　college　that　the　Tur；　or　chief　magistrate；　selects　Councillors；　limited　to　three；　in　the　rare　instances　in　which　novelty　of　event　or　circumstance　perplexes　his　own　judgment。

There　are　a　few　other　departments　of　minor　consequence；　but　all　are　carried　on　so　noiselessly；　and　quietly　that　the　evidence　of　a　government　seems　to　vanish　altogether；　and　social　order　to　be　as　regular　and　unobtrusive　as　if　it　were　a　law　of　nature。　　Machinery　is　employed　to　an　inconceivable　extent　in　all　the　operations　of　labour　within　and　without　doors；　and　it　is　the　unceasing　object　of　the　department　charged　with　its　administration　to　extend　its　efficiency。　　There　is　no　class　of　labourers　or　servants；　but　all　who　are　required　to　assist　or　control　the　machinery　are　found　in　the　children；　from　the　time　they　leave　the　care　of　their　mothers　to　the　marriageable　age；　which　they　place　at　sixteen　for　the　Gy…ei　（the　females）；　twenty　for　the　Ana　（the　males）。　　These　children　are　formed　into　bands　and　sections　under　their　own　chiefs；　each　following　the　pursuits　in　which　he　is　most　pleased；　or　for　which　he　feels　himself　most　fitted。　　Some　take　to　handicrafts；　some　to　agriculture；　some　to　household　work；　and　some　to　the　only　services　of　danger　to　which　the　population　is　exposed；　for　the　sole　perils　that　threaten　this　tribe　are；　first；　from　those　occasional　convulsions　within　the　earth；　to　foresee　and　guard　against　which　tasks　their　utmost　ingenuity…　irruptions　of　fire　and　water；　the　storms　of　subterranean　winds　and　escaping　gases。　　At　the　borders　of　the　domain；　and　at　all　places　where　such　peril　might　be　apprehended；　vigilant　inspectors　are　stationed　with　telegraphic　communications　to　the　hall　in　which　chosen　sages　take　it　by　turns　to　hold　perpetual　sittings。　　These　inspectors　are　always　selected　from　the　elder　boys　approaching　the　age　of　puberty；　and　on　the　principle　that　at　that　age　observation　is　more　acute　and　the　physical　forces　more　alert　than　at　any　other。　　The　second　service　of　danger；　less　grave；　40is　in　the　destruction　of　all　creatures　hostile　to　the　life；　or　the　culture；　or　even　the　comfort；　of　the　Ana。　　Of　these　the　most　formidable　are　the　vast　reptiles；　of　some　of　which　antediluvian　relics　are　preserved　in　our　museums；　and　certain　gigantic　winged　creatures；　half　bird；　half　reptile。　　These；　together　with　lesser　wild　animals；　corresponding　to　our　tigers　or　venomous　serpents；　it　is　left　to　the　younger　children　to　hunt　and　destroy；　because；　according　to　the　Ana；　here　ruthlessness　is　wanted；　and　the　younger　the　child　the　more　ruthlessly　he　will　destroy。　　There　is　another　class　of　animals　in　the　destruction　of　which　discrimination　is　to　be　used；　and　against　which　children　of　intermediate　age　are　appointed…　animals　that　do　not　threaten　the　life　of　man；　but　ravage　the　produce　of　his　labour；　varieties　of　the　elk　and　deer　species；　and　a　smaller　creature　much　akin　to　our　rabbit；　though　infinitely　more　destructive　to　crops；　and　much　more　cunning　in　its　mode　of　depredation。　　It　is　the　first　object　of　these　appointed　infants；　to　tame　the　more　intelligent　of　such　animals　into　respect　for　enclosures　signalised　by　conspicuous　landmarks；　as　dogs　are　taught　to　respect　a　larder；　or　even　to　guard　the　master's　property。　　It　is　only　where　such　creatures　are　found　untamable　to　this　extent　that　they　are　destroyed。　　Life　is　never　taken　away　for　food　or　for　sport；　and　never　spared　where　untamably　inimical　to　the　Ana。　　Concomitantly　with　　these　bodily　services　and　tasks；　the　mental　education　of　the　　children　goes　on　till　boyhood　ceases。　　It　is　the　general　custom；　　then；　to　pass　though　a　course　of　instruction　at　the　College　of　　Sages；　in　which；　besides　more　general　studies；　the　pupil　receives　　special　lessons　in　such　vocation　or　direction　of　intellect　as　he　　himself　selects。　　Some；　however；　prefer　to　pass　this　period　of　　probation　in　travel；　or　to　emigrate；　or　to　settle　down　at　once　　into　rural　or　commercial　pursuits。　　No　force　is　put　upon　　individual　inclination。　

41　Chapter　X。


The　word　Ana　（pronounced　broadly　'Arna'）　corresponds　with　our　　plural　'men；'　An　（pronounced　'Arn'）；　the　singular；　with　'man。'　　The　word　for　woman　is　Gy　（pronounced　hard；　as　in　Guy）；　it　forms　　itself　into　Gy…ei　for　the　plural；　but　the　G　becomes　soft　in　the　　plural　like　Jy…ei。　　They　have　a　proverb　to　the　effect　that　this　　difference　in　pronunciation　is　symbolical；　for　that　the　female　　sex　is　soft　in　the　concrete；　but　hard　to　deal　with　in　the　　individual。　　The　Gy…ei　are　in　the　fullest　enjoyment　of　all　the　　rights　of　equality　with　males；　for　which　certain　philosophers　　above　ground　contend。　

In　childhood　they　perform　the　offices　of　work　and　labour　impartially　with　the　boys；　and；　indeed；　in　the　earlier　age　appropriated　to　the　destruction　of　animals　irreclaimably　hostile；　the　girls　are　frequently　preferred；　as　being　by　constitution　more　ruthless　under　the　influence　of　fear　or　hate。　　In　the　interval　between　infancy　and　the　marriageable　age　familiar　intercourse　between　the　sexes　is　suspended。　　At　the　marriageable　age　it　is　renewed；　never　with　worse　consequences　than　those　which　attend　upon　marriage。　　All　arts　and　vocations　allotted　to　the　one　sex　are　open　to　the　other；　and　the　Gy…ei　　arrogate　to　themselves　a　superiority　in　all　those　abstruse　and　　mystical　branches　of　reasoning；　for　which　they　say　the　Ana　are　　unfitted　by　a　duller　sobriety　of　understanding；　or　the　routine　　of　their　matter…of…fact　occupations；　just　as　young　ladies　in　our　　own　world　constitute　themselves　authorities　in　the　subtlest　　points　of　theological　doctrine；　for　which　few　men；　actively　　engaged　in　worldly　business　have　sufficient　learning　or　　refinement　of　intellect。　　Whether　owing　to　early　training　in　　gymnastic　exercises；　or　to　their　constitutional　organisation；　　the　Gy…ei　are　usually　superior　to　the　Ana　in　physical　strength　　（an　important　element　in　the　consideration　and　maintenance　of　　female　rights）。　　They　attain　to　loftier　stature；　and　amid　their　　42rounder　proportions　are　imbedded　sinews　and　muscles　as　hardy　as　　those　of　the　other　sex。　　Indeed　they　assert　that；　according　to　　the　original　laws　of　nature；　females　were　intended　to　be　larger　　than　males；　and　maintain　this　dogma　by　reference　to　the　earliest　　formations　of　life　in　insects；　and　in　the　most　ancient　family　of　　the　vertebrata…　viz。；　fishes…　in　both　of　which　the　females　are　　generally　large　enough　to　make　a　meal　of　their　consorts　if　they　　so　desire。　　Above　all；　the　Gy…ei　have　a　readier　and　more　　concentred　power　over　that　mysterious　fluid　or　agency　which　　contains　the　element　of　destruction；　with　a　large