the coming race-第13节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


imals　bred　for　slaughter；　increase。　　It　seems　a　law　of　nature　that　animals　not　useful　to　man　gradually　recede　from　the　domains　he　occupies；　or　even　become　extinct。　　It　is　an　old　custom　of　the　various　sovereign　states　amidst　which　the　race　of　the　Vril…ya　are　distributed；　to　leave　between　each　state　a　neutral　and　uncultivated　border…land。　　In　the　instance　of　the　community　I　speak　of；　this　tract；　being　a　ridge　of　savage　rocks；　was　impassable　by　foot；　but　was　easily　surmounted；　whether　by　the　wings　of　the　inhabitants　or　the　air…boats；　of　which　I　shall　speak　hereafter。　　Roads　through　it　were　also　cut　for　the　transit　of　vehicles　impelled　by　vril。　　These　intercommunicating　tracts　were　always　kept　lighted；　and　the　expense　thereof　defrayed　by　a　special　tax；　to　which　all　the　communities　comprehended　in　the　denomination　of　Vril…ya　contribute　in　settled　proportions。　　By　these　means　a　considerable　commercial　traffic　with　other　states；　both　near　and　distant；　was　carried　on。　　The　surplus　wealth　on　this　special　community　was　chiefly　agricultural。　　The　61community　was　also　eminent　for　skill　in　constructing　implements　connected　with　the　arts　of　husbandry。　　In　exchange　for　such　merchandise　it　obtained　articles　more　of　luxury　than　necessity。　　There　were　few　things　imported　on　which　they　set　a　higher　price　than　birds　taught　to　pipe　artful　tunes　in　concert。　　These　were　brought　from　a　great　distance；　and　were　marvellous　for　beauty　of　song　and　plumage。　　I　understand　that　extraordinary　care　was　taken　by　their　breeders　and　teachers　in　selection；　and　that　the　species　had　wonderfully　improved　during　the　last　few　years。　　I　saw　no　other　pet　animals　among　this　community　except　some　very　amusing　and　sportive　creatures　of　the　Batrachian　species；　resembling　frogs；　but　with　very　intelligent　countenances；　which　the　children　were　fond　of；　and　kept　in　their　private　gardens。　　They　appear　to　have　no　animals　akin　to　our　dogs　or　horses；　though　that　learned　naturalist；　Zee；　informed　me　that　such　creatures　had　once　existed　in　those　parts；　and　might　now　be　found　in　regions　inhabited　by　other　races　than　the　Vril…ya。　　She　said　that　they　had　gradually　disappeared　from　the　more　civilised　world　since　the　discovery　of　vril；　and　the　results　attending　that　discovery　had　dispensed　with　their　uses。　　Machinery　and　the　invention　of　wings　had　superseded　the　horse　as　a　beast　of　burden；　and　the　dog　was　no　longer　wanted　either　for　protection　or　the　chase；　as　it　had　been　when　the　ancestors　of　the　Vril…ya　feared　the　aggressions　of　their　own　kind；　or　hunted　the　lesser　animals　for　food。　　Indeed；　however；　so　far　as　the　horse　was　concerned；　this　region　was　so　rocky　that　a　horse　could　have　been；　there；　of　little　use　either　for　pastime　or　burden。　　The　only　creature　they　use　for　the　latter　purpose　is　a　kind　of　large　goat　which　is　much　employed　on　farms。　　The　nature　of　the　surrounding　soil　in　these　districts　may　be　said　to　have　first　suggested　the　invention　of　wings　and　air…boats。　　The　largeness　of　space　in　proportion　to　the　space　occupied　by　the　city；　was　occasioned　by　the　custom　of　surrounding　every　house　with　a　separate　garden。　　The　broad　main　street；　in　which　Aph…Lin　dwelt；　expanded　into　a　vast　square；　in　which　were　62placed　the　College　of　Sages　and　all　the　public　offices；　a　magnificent　fountain　of　the　luminous　fluid　which　I　call　naptha　（I　am　ignorant　of　its　real　nature）　in　the　centre。　　All　these　public　edifices　have　a　uniform　character　of　massiveness　and　solidity。　　They　reminded　me　of　the　architectural　pictures　of　Martin。　　Along　the　upper　stories　of　each　ran　a　balcony；　or　rather　a　terraced　garden；　supported　by　columns；　filled　with　flowering　plants；　and　tenanted　by　many　kinds　of　tame　birds。　　》From　the　square　branched　several　streets；　all　broad　and　brilliantly　lighted；　and　ascending　up　the　eminence　on　either　side。　　In　my　excursions　in　the　town　I　was　never　allowed　to　go　alone；　Aph…Lin　or　his　daughter　was　my　habitual　companion。　　In　this　community　the　adult　Gy　is　seen　walking　with　any　young　An　as　familiarly　as　if　there　were　no　difference　of　sex。

The　retail　shops　are　not　very　numerous；　the　persons　who　attend　on　a　customer　are　all　children　of　various　ages；　and　exceedingly　intelligent　and　courteous；　but　without　the　least　touch　of　importunity　or　cringing。　　The　shopkeeper　himself　might　or　might　not　be　visible；　when　visible；　he　seemed　rarely　employed　on　any　matter　connected　with　his　professional　business；　and　yet　he　had　taken　to　that　business　from　special　liking　for　it；　and　quite　independently　of　his　general　sources　of　fortune。

The　Ana　of　the　community　are；　on　the　whole；　an　indolent　set　of　beings　after　the　active　age　of　childhood。　　Whether　by　temperament　or　philosophy；　they　rank　repose　among　the　chief　blessings　of　life。　　Indeed；　when　you　take　away　from　a　human　63being　the　incentives　to　action　which　are　found　in　cupidity　or　ambition；　it　seems　to　me　no　wonder　that　he　rests　quiet。

In　their　ordinary　movements　they　prefer　the　use　of　their　feet　to　that　of　their　wings。　　But　for　their　sports　or　（to　indulge　in　a　bold　misuse　of　terms）　their　public　'promenades；'　they　employ　the　latter；　also　for　the　aerial　dances　I　have　described；　as　well　as　for　visiting　their　country　places；　which　are　mostly　placed　on　lofty　heights；　and；　when　still　young；　they　prefer　their　wings　for　travel　into　the　other　regions　of　the　Ana；　to　vehicular　conveyances。

Those　who　accustom　themselves　to　flight　can　fly；　if　less　rapidly　than　some　birds；　yet　from　twenty…five　to　thirty　miles　an　hour；　and　keep　up　that　rate　for　five　or　six　hours　at　a　stretch。　　But　the　Ana　generally；　on　reaching　middle　age；　are　not　fond　of　rapid　movements　requiring　violent　exercise。　　Perhaps　for　this　reason；　as　they　hold　a　doctrine　which　our　own　physicians　will　doubtless　approve…　viz。；　that　regular　transpiration　through　the　pores　of　the　skin　is　essential　to　health；　they　habitually　use　the　sweating…baths　to　which　we　give　the　name　Turkish　or　Roman；　succeeded　by　douches　of　perfumed　waters。　　They　have　great　faith　in　the　salubrious　virtue　of　certain　perfumes。

It　is　their　custom　also；　at　stated　but　rare　periods；　perhaps　four　times　a…year　when　in　health；　to　use　a　bath　charged　with　vril。*

*　I　once　tried　the　effect　of　the　vril　bath。　　It　was　very　similar　in　its　invigorating　powers　to　that　of　the　baths　at　Gastein；　the　virtues　of　which　are　ascribed　by　many　physicians　to　electricity；　but　though　similar；　the　effect　of　the　vril　bath　was　more　lasting。

They　consider　that　this　fluid；　sparingly　used；　is　a　great　sustainer　of　life；　but　used　in　excess；　when　in　the　normal　state　of　health；　rather　tends　to　reaction　and　exhausted　vitality。　　For　nearly　all　their　diseases；　however；　they　resort　to　it　as　the　chief　assistant　to　nature　in　throwing　off　their　complaint。

In　their　own　way　they　are　the　most　luxurious　of　people；　but　all　their　luxuries　are　innocent。　　They　may　be　said　to　dwell　in　an　atmosphere　of　music　and　fragrance。　　Every　room　has　its　64mechanical　contrivances　for　melodious　sounds；　usually　tuned　down　to　soft…murmured　notes；　which　seem　like　sweet　whispers　from　invisible　spirits。　　They　are　too　accustomed　to　these　gentle　sounds　to　find　them　a　hindrance　to　conversation；　nor；　when　alone；　to　reflection。　　But　they　have　a　notion　that　to　breathe　an　air　filled　with　continuous　melody　and　perfume　has　necessarily　an　effect　at　once　soothing　and　elevating　upon　the　formation　of　character　and　the　habits　of　thought。　　Though　so　temperate；　and　with　total　abstinence　from　other　animal　food　than　milk；　and　from　all　intoxicating　drinks；　they　are　delicate　and　dainty　to　an　extreme　in　food　and　beverage；　and　in　all　their　sports　even　the　old　exhibit　a　childlike　gaiety。　　Happiness　is　the　end　at　which　they　aim；　not　as　the　excitement　of　a　moment；　but　as　the　prevailing　condition　of　the　entire　existence；　and　regard　for　the　happiness　of　each　other　is　evinced　by　the　exquisite　amenity　of　their　manners。

Their　conformation　of　skull　has　marked　differences　from　that　of　any　known　races　in　the　upper　world；　though　I　cannot　help　thinking　it　a　development；　in　the　course　of　countless　ages　of　the　Brachycephalic　type　of　the　Age　of　Stone　in　Lyell's　'Elements　of　Geology；'　C。　　X。；　p。　　113；　as　compared　with　the　Dolichocephalic　type　of　the　beginning　of　the　Age　of　Iron；　correspondent　with　that　now　so　prevalent　amongst　us；　and　called　the　Celtic　type。　　It　has　the　same　comparative　massiveness　of　forehead；　not　receding　like　the　Celtic…　the　same　even　roundness　in　the　frontal　organs；　but　it　is　far　loftier　in　the　apex；　and　far　less　pronounced　in　the　hinder　cranial　hemisphere　where　phrenologists　place　the　animal　organs。　　To　speak　as　a　phrenologist；　the　cranium　common　to　the　Vril…ya　has　the　organs　of　weight；　number；　tune；　form；　order；　causality；　very　largely　developed；　that　of　construction　much　more　pronounced　than　that　of　ideality。　　Those　which　are　called　the　moral　organs；　such　as　conscientiousness　and　benevolence；　are　amazingly　full；　amativeness　and　combativeness　are　both　small；　adhesiveness　large；　the　organ　of　destructiveness　（i。e。；　of　determined　65clearance　of　intervening　obstacles）　immense；　but　less　than　that　of　benevolence；　and　their　philoprogenitiveness　takes　rather　the　character　of　compassion　and　tenderness　to　things　that　need　aid　or　protection　than　of　the　animal　love　of　offspring。　　I　never　met　with　one　person　deformed　or　misshapen。　　Th