lem confronted the nation, a hundred or more of
our deepest thinkers would simultaneously concentrate their mental
forces upon it, and if unsuccessful in reaching a satisfactory
conclusion, then the whole people would devote an hour each day upon it
until finally solved. Thus in thought as well as in action we labored
together as a unit, harmoniously working out vast ideas that never could
have been conceived by a single brain, and each mortal receiving an
equal share of the many blessings derived therefrom.

"And there again is where your individual system retards natural
progress. A little Apeman receives part of one of nature's ideas. His
immature brain is incapable of receiving the whole of it so he spends
his entire life stumbling along in the dark, vainly searching for the
remainder. Sometimes he becomes insane or dies under the strain of the
burden, and mankind loses the portion he had already understood. It was
his greedy desire that caused him to struggle alone for something that
many minds could easily have brought forth had they been called to his
assistance. But no, his purpose was not to aid humanity, but get money
and the power to wield over his fellow creatures by accepting and having
patented for himself one of nature's gifts.

"And then again one of your little Apemen finally does conceive a good
idea, or part of one, after thirty years, more or less, of constant
strain upon his mental faculties. So the progress of the world must be
held in check for that length of time for an invention that could have
been produced and put into useful operation by the combined efforts of
many minds in a few days, weeks or months. But it is the individual
system and not the individual himself which causes this stupendous waste
of time and power, and as long as it is kept in force the leakage of
human progress will naturally be beyond calculation.

"It seems a pity," said Arletta, looking at me sympathetically, "that
your brain is not sufficiently developed to enable you to grasp the
magnificent principle of life as it was understood by the Sage-men, but
it would be as hard for you to comprehend an attempted explanation of
the whole subject as it would be for a monkey to understand algebra. So
I have to be content with impressing upon your little intellect just as
much as it will absorb.

"But come, you look tired, let us partake of some refreshments. And
remember, do not overload your stomach."

CHAPTER XV

"Do n