herland(她乡)-第23节
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conscious effort to make it better。
They had early observed the value of certain improvements； had
easily inferred that there was room for more； and took the greatest pains to
develop two kinds of mindsthe critic and inventor。 Those who showed
an early tendency to observe； to discriminate； to suggest； were given
special training for that function； and some of their highest officials spent
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their time in the most careful study of one or another branch of work； with
a view to its further improvement。
In each generation there was sure to arrive some new mind to
detect faults and show need of alterations； and the whole corps of
inventors was at hand to apply their special faculty at the point criticized；
and offer suggestions。
We had learned by this time not to open a discussion on any of
their characteristics without first priming ourselves to answer questions
about our own methods； so I kept rather quiet on this matter of conscious
improvement。 We were not prepared to show our way was better。
There was growing in our minds； at least in Jeff's and mine； a
keen appreciation of the advantages of this strange country and its
management。 Terry remained critical。 We laid most of it to his nerves。
He certainly was irritable。
The most conspicuous feature of the whole land was the
perfection of its food supply。 We had begun to notice from that very first
walk in the forest； the first partial view from our 'plane。 Now we were
taken to see this mighty garden； and shown its methods of culture。
The country was about the size of Holland； some ten or twelve
thousand square miles。 One could lose a good many Hollands along the
forest…smothered flanks of those mighty mountains。 They had a population
of about three millionnot a large one； but quality is something。 Three
million is quite enough to allow for considerable variation； and these
people varied more widely than we could at first account for。
Terry had insisted that if they were parthenogenetic they'd be as
alike as so many ants or aphids； he urged their visible differences as proof
that there must be mensomewhere。
But when we asked them； in our later； more intimate
conversations； how they accounted for so much divergence without cross…
fertilization； they attributed it partly to the careful education； which
followed each slight tendency to differ； and partly to the law of mutation。
This they had found in their work with plants； and fully proven in their
own case。
Physically they were more alike than we； as they lacked all
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morbid or excessive types。 They were tall； strong； healthy； and beautiful
as a race； but differed individually in a wide range of feature； coloring； and
expression。
〃But surely the most important growth is in mindand in the
things we make；〃 urged Somel。 〃Do you find your physical variation
accompanied by a proportionate variation in ideas； feelings； and products？
Or； among people who look more alike； do you find their internal life and
their work as similar？〃
We were rather doubtful on this point； and inclined to hold that
there was more chance of improvement in greater physical variation。
〃It certainly should be；〃 Zava admitted。 〃We have always
thought it a grave initial misfortune to have lost half our little world。
Perhaps that is one reason why we have so striven for conscious
improvement。〃
〃But acquired traits are not transmissible；〃 Terry declared。
〃Weissman has proved that。〃
They never disputed our absolute statements； only made notes of
them。
〃If that is so； then our improvement must be due either to
mutation； or solely to education；〃 she gravely pursued。 〃We certainly
have improved。 It may be that all these higher qualities were latent in the
original mother； that careful education is bringing them out； and that our
personal differences depend on slight variations in prenatal condition。〃
〃I think it is more in your accumulated culture；〃 Jeff suggested。
〃And in the amazing psychic growth you have made。 We know very
little about methods of real soul cultureand you seem to know a great
deal。〃
Be that as it might； they certainly presented a higher level of
active intelligence； and of behavior； than we had so far really grasped。
Having known in our lives several people who showed the same delicate
courtesy and were equally pleasant to live with； at least when they wore
their 〃company manners；〃 we had assumed that our companions were a
carefully chosen few。 Later we were more and more impressed that all
this gentle breeding was breeding； that they were born to it； reared in it；
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that it was as natural and universal with them as the gentleness of doves or
the alleged wisdom of serpents。
As for the intelligence； I confess that this was the most
impressive and； to me； most mortifying； of any single feature of Herland。
We soon ceased to comment on this or other matters which to them were
such obvious commonplaces as to call forth embarrassing questions about
our own conditions。
This was nowhere better shown than in that matter of food
supply； which I will now attempt to describe。
Having improved their agriculture to the highest point； and
carefully estimated the number of persons who could comfortably live on
their square miles； having then limited their population to that number；
one would think that was all there was to be done。 But they had not
thought so。 To them the country was a unitit was theirs。 They
themselves were a unit； a conscious group； they thought in terms of the
community。 As such； their time…sense was not limited to the hopes and
ambitions of an individual life。 Therefore； they habitually considered
and carried out plans for improvement which might cover centuries。
I had never seen； had scarcely imagined； human beings
undertaking such a work as the deliberate replanting of an entire forest
area with different kinds of trees。 Yet this seemed to them the simplest
common sense； like a man's plowing up an inferior lawn and reseeding it。
Now every tree bore fruitedible fruit； that is。 In the case of one tree； in
which they took especial pride； it had originally no fruit at allthat is；
none humanly edible yet was so beautiful that they wished to keep it。
For nine hundred years they had experimented； and now showed us this
particularly lovely graceful tree； with a profuse crop of nutritious seeds。
They had early decided that trees were the best food plants；
requiring far less labor in tilling the soil； and bearing a larger amount of
food for the same ground space； also doing much to preserve and enrich
the soil。
Due regard had been paid to seasonable crops； and their fruit
and nuts； grains and berries； kept on almost the year through。
On the higher part of the country； near the backing wall of
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mountains； they had a real winter with snow。 Toward the south… eastern
point； where there was a large valley with a lake whose outlet was
subterranean； the climate was like that of California； and citrus fruits； figs；
and olives grew abundantly。
What impressed me par
