flatland(弗莱特兰)-第7节
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And of course to a common Tradesman； or Serf； such a sight is almost as
unintelligible as it would be to you； my Reader； were you suddenly
transported to my country。
In such a crowd you could see on all sides of you nothing but a Line；
apparently straight； but of which the parts would vary irregularly and
perpetually in brightness or dimness。 Even if you had completed your third
year in the Pentagonal and Hexagonal classes in the University； and were
perfect in the theory of the subject； you would still find there was need of
many years of experience； before you could move in a fashionable crowd
without jostling against your betters； whom it is against etiquette to ask to
〃feel；〃 and who； by their superior culture and breeding； know all about
your movements； while you know very little or nothing about theirs。 in a
word； to comport oneself with perfect propriety in Polygonal society； one
ought to be a Polygon oneself。 Such at least is the painful teaching of my
experience。
It is astonishing how much the Artor I may almost call it instinct of
Sight Recognition is developed by the habitual practice of it and by the
avoidance of the custom of 〃Feeling。〃 Just as； with you； the deaf and dumb；
if once allowed to gesticulate and to use the hand…alphabet； will never
acquire the more difficult but far more valuable art of lip…speech and lip…
reading； so it is with us as regards 〃Seeing〃 and 〃Feeling。〃 None who in
early life resort to 〃Feeling〃 will ever learn 〃Seeing〃 in perfection。
For this reason； among our Higher Classes； 〃Feeling〃 is discouraged or
absolutely forbidden。 From the cradle their children； instead of going to
the Public Elementary schools （where the art of Feeling is taught；） are sent
to higher Seminaries of an exclusive character； and at our illustrious
University； to 〃feel〃 is regarded as a most serious fault； involving
Rustication for the first offence； and Expulsion for the second。
But among the lower classes the art of Sight Recognition is regarded
as an unattainable luxury。 A common Tradesman cannot afford to let his
sun spend a third of his life in abstract studies。 The children of the poor are
therefore allowed to 〃feel〃 from their earliest years； and they gain thereby
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a precocity and an early vivacity which contrast at first most favourably
with the inert； undeveloped； and listless behaviour of the half…instructed
youths of the Polygonal class； but when the latter have at last completed
their University course； and are prepared to put their theory into practice；
the change that comes over them may almost be described as a new birth；
and in every art； science； and social pursuit they rapidly overtake and
distance their Triangular competitors。
Only a few of the Polygonal Class fail to pass the Final Test or
Leaving Examination at the University。 The condition of the unsuccessful
minority is truly pitiable。 Rejected from the higher class；； they are also
despised by the lower。 They have neither the matured and systematically
trained powers of the Polygonal Bachelors and Masters of Arts； nor yet the
native precocity and mercurial versatility of the youthful Tradesman。 The
professions； the public services； are closed against them； and though in
most States they are not actually debarred from marriage； yet they have the
greatest difficulty in forming suitable alliances； as experience shews that
the offspring of such unfortunate and ill…endowed parents is generally
itself unfortunate； if not positively Irregular。
It is from these specimens of the refuse of our Nobility that the great
Tumults and Seditions of past ages have generally derived their leaders；
and so great is the mischief thence arising that an increasing minority of
our more progressive Statesmen are of opinion that true mercy would
dictate their entire suppression； by enacting that all who fail to pass the
Final Examination of the University should be either imprisoned for life；
or extinguished by a painless death。
But I find myself digressing into the subject of Irregularities； a matter
of such vital interest that it demands a separateSECTION。
SECTION 7 Concerning Irregular Figures
Throughout the previous pages I have been assumingwhat perhaps
should have been laid down at the beginning as a distinct and fundamental
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propositionthat every human being in Flatland is a Regular Figure； that is
to say of regular construction。 By this I mean that a Woman must not only
be a line； but a straight line； that an Artisan or Soldier must have two of
his sides equal； that Tradesmen must have three sides equal； Lawyers （of
which class I am a humble member）； four sides equal； and； generally； that
in every Polygon； all the sides must be equal。
The sizes of the sides would of course depend upon the age of the
individual。 A Female at birth would be about an inch long； while a tall
adult Woman might extend to a foot。 As to the Males of every class； it may
be roughly said that the length of an adult's size； when added together； is
two feet or a little more。 But the size of our sides is not under
consideration。 I am speaking of the EQUALITY of sides； and it does not
need much reflection to see that the whole of the social life in Flatland
rests upon the fundamental fact that Nature wills all Figures to have their
sides equal。
If our sides were unequal our angles might be unequal。 Instead of its
being sufficient to feel； or estimate by sight； a single angle in order to
determine the form of an individual； it would be necessary to ascertain
each angle by the experiment of Feeling。 But life would be too short for
such a tedious groping。 The whole science and art of Sight Recognition
would at once perish； Feeling； so far as it is an art； would not long survive；
intercourse would become perilous or impossible； there would be an end
to all confidence； all forethought； no one would be safe in making the
most simple social arrangements； in a word； civilization might relapse into
barbarism。
Am I going too fast to carry my Readers with me to these obvious
conclusions？ Surely a moment's reflection； and a single instance from
common life； must convince every one that our social system is based
upon Regularity； or Equality of Angles。 You meet； for example； two or
three Tradesmen in the street； whom your recognize at once to be
Tradesman by a glance at their angles and rapidly bedimmed sides； and
you ask them to step into your house to lunch。 This you do at present with
perfect confidence； because everyone knows to an inch or two the area
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occupied by an adult Triangle： but imagine that your Tradesman drags
behind his regular and respectable vertex； a parallelogram of twelve or
thirteen inches in diagonal：what are you to do with such a monster
sticking fast in your house door？
But I am insulting the intelligence of my Readers by accumulating
details which must be patent to everyone who enjoys the advantages of a
Residence in Spaceland。 Obviously the measurements of a single angle
would no longer be sufficient under such portentous circumstances； one's
whole life would be taken up in feeling or surveying the perimeter of one's
acquaintances。 Already the difficulties of avoiding a collision in a crowd
are enough to tax the sagacity of even a well…educated Square； but if no
one could calculate the Regularity of a single figure in the company； all
would be chaos and confusion； and the slightest panic would cause serious
injuries； orif there happened to be any Women or Soldiers present
perhaps considerable loss of life。
Expediency therefore concurs with Nature in stampin
