flatland(弗莱特兰)-第12节
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years； he is wont to enwrap the exact nature of his Perimeter or
Circumference。 Three feet being the average Perimeter it follows that； in a
Polygon of three hundred sides each side will be no more than the
hundredth part of a foot in length； or little more than the tenth part of an
inch； and in a Polygon of six or seven hundred sides the sides are little
larger than the diameter of a Spaceland pin…head。 It is always assumed； by
courtesy； that the Chief Circle for the time being has ten thousand sides。
The ascent of the posterity of the Circles in the social scale is not
restricted； as it is among the lower Regular classes； by the Law of Nature
which limits the increase of sides to one in each generation。 If it were so；
the number of sides in the Circle would be a mere question of pedigree
and arithmetic； and the four hundred and ninety…seventh descendant of an
Equilateral Triangle would necessarily be a polygon with five hundred
sides。 But this is not the case。 Nature's Law prescribes two antagonistic
decrees affecting Circular propagation； first； that as the race climbs higher
in the scale of development； so development shall proceed at an
accelerated pace； second； that in the same proportion； the race shall
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become less fertile。 Consequently in the home of a Polygon of four or five
hundred sides it is rare to find a son； more than one is never seen。 On the
other hand the son of a five…hundred…sided Polygon has been known to
possess five hundred and fifty； or even six hundred sides。
Art also steps in to help the process of higher Evolution。 Our
physicians have discovered that the small and tender sides of an infant
Polygon of the higher class can be fractured； and his whole frame re…set；
with such exactness that a Polygon of two or three hundred sides
sometimesby no means always； for the process is attended with serious
riskbut sometimes overleaps two or three hundred generations； and as it
were double at a stroke； the number of his progenitors and the nobility of
his descent。
Many a promising child is sacrificed in this way。 Scarcely one out of
ten survives。 Yet so strong is the parental ambition among those Polygons
who are； as it were； on the fringe of the Circular class； that it is very rare to
find the Nobleman of that position in society； who has neglected to place
his first…born in the Circular Neo…Therapeutic Gymnasium before he has
attained the age of a month。
One year determines success or failure。 At the end of that time the
child has； in all probability； added one more to the tombstones that crowd
the Neo…Therapeutic Cemetery； but on rare occasional a glad procession
bares back the little one to his exultant parents； no longer a Polygon； but a
Circle； at least by courtesy： and a single instance of so blessed a result
induces multitudes of Polygonal parents to submit to similar domestic
sacrifice； which have a dissimilar issue。
SECTION 12 Of the Doctrine of our Priests
As to the doctrine of the Circles it may briefly be summed up in a
single maxim； 〃Attend to your Configuration。〃 Whether political；
ecclesiastical； or moral； all their teaching has for its object the
improvement of individual and collective Configurationwith special
reference of course to the Configuration of the Circles； to which all other
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objects are subordinated。
It is the merit of the Circles that they have effectually suppressed those
ancient heresies which led men to waste energy and sympathy in the vain
belief that conduct depends upon will； effort； training； encouragement；
praise； or anything else but Configuration。 It was Pantocyclusthe
illustrious Circle mentioned above； as the queller of the Colour Revolt
who first convinced mankind that Configuration makes the man； that if；
for example； you are born an Isosceles with two uneven sides； you will
assuredly go wrong unless you have them made evenfor which purpose
you must go to the Isosceles Hospital； similarly； if you are a Triangle； or
Square； or even a Polygon； born with any Irregularity； you must be taken
to one of the Regular Hospitals to have your disease cured； otherwise you
will end your days in the State Prison or by the angle of the State
Executioner。
All faults or defects； from the slightest misconduct to the most
flagitious crime； Pantocyclus attributed to some deviation from perfect
Regularity in the bodily figure； caused perhaps （if not congenital） by some
collision in a crowd； by neglect to take exercise； or by taking too much of
it； or even by a sudden change of temperature； resulting in a shrinkage or
expansion in some too susceptible part of the frame。 Therefore； concluded
that illustrious Philosopher； neither good conduct nor bad conduct is a fit
subject； in any sober estimation； for either praise or blame。 For why
should you praise； for example； the integrity of a Square who faithfully
defends the interests of his client； when you ought in reality rather to
admire the exact precision of his right angles？ Or again； why blame a
lying； thievish Isosceles； when you ought rather to deplore the incurable
inequality of his sides？
Theoretically； this doctrine is unquestionable； but it has practical
drawbacks。 In dealing with an Isosceles； if a rascal pleads that he cannot
help stealing because of his unevenness； you reply that for that very reason；
because he cannot help being a nuisance to his neighbours； you； the
Magistrate； cannot help sentencing him to be consumed and there's an
end of the matter。 But in little domestic difficulties； when the penalty of
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consumption； or death； is out of the question； this theory of Configuration
sometimes comes in awkwardly； and I must confess that occasionally
when one of my own Hexagonal Grandsons pleads as an excuse for his
disobedience that a sudden change of temperature has been too much for
his Perimeter； and that I ought to lay the blame not on him but on his
Configuration； which can only be strengthened by abundance of the
choicest sweetmeats； I neither see my way logically to reject； nor
practically to accept； his conclusions。
For my own part； I find it best to assume that a good sound scolding or
castigation has some latent and strengthening influence on my Grandson's
Configuration； though I own that I have no grounds for thinking so。 At all
events I am not alone in my way of extricating myself from this dilemma；
for I find that many of the highest Circles； sitting as Judges in law courts；
use praise and blame towards Regular and Irregular Figures； and in their
homes I know by experience that； when scolding their children； they speak
about 〃right〃 and 〃wrong〃 as vehemently and passionately as if they
believe that these names represented real existence； and that a human
Figure is really capable of choosing between them。
Constantly carrying out their policy of making Configuration the
leading idea in every mind； the Circles reverse the nature of that
Commandment which in Spaceland regulates the relations between parents
and children。 With you； children are taught to honour their parents； with
usnext to the Circles； who are the chief object of universal homage a
man is taught to honour his Grandson； if he has one； or； if not； his Son。 By
〃honour；〃 however； is by no means mean 〃indulgence；〃 but a reverent
regard for their highest interests： and the Circles teach that the duty of
