the unrecognized Dimension
which is somehow visible in a Line--say, 'Ah, you mean BRIGHTNESS': and
when I reply, 'No, I mean a real Dimension,' they at once retort, 'Then
measure it, or tell us in what direction it extends'; and this silences
me, for I can do neither. Only yesterday, when the Chief Circle (in
other words our High Priest) came to inspect the State Prison and paid
me his seventh annual visit, and when for the seventh time he put me
the question, 'Was I any better?' I tried to prove to him that he was
'high,' as well as long and broad, although he did not know it. But
what was his reply? 'You say I am "high"; measure my "high-ness" and I
will believe you.' What could I do? How could I meet his challenge?
I was crushed; and he left the room triumphant.

"Does this still seem strange to you? Then put yourself in a similar
position. Suppose a person of the Fourth Dimension, condescending to
visit you, were to say, 'Whenever you open your eyes, you see a Plane
(which is of Two Dimensions) and you INFER a Solid (which is of Three);
but in reality you also see (though you do not recognize) a Fourth
Dimension, which is not colour nor brightness nor anything of the kind,
but a true Dimension, although I cannot point out to you its direction,
nor can you possibly measure it.' What would you say to such a visitor?
Would not you have him locked up? Well, that is my fate: and it is as
natural for us Flatlanders to lock up a Square for preaching the Third
Dimension, as it is for you Spacelanders to lock up a Cube for
preaching the Fourth. Alas, how strong a family likeness runs through
blind and persecuting humanity in all Dimensions! Points, Lines,
Squares, Cubes, Extra-Cubes--we are all liable to the same errors, all
alike the Slaves of our respective Dimensional prejudices, as one of
our Spaceland poets has said--

'One touch of Nature makes all worlds akin.'" (footnote 1)

On this point the defence of the Square seems to me to be impregnable.
I wish I could say that his answer to the second (or moral) objection
was equally clear and cogent. It has been objected that he is a
woman-hater; and as this objection has been vehemently urged by those
whom Nature's decree has constituted the somewhat larger half of the
Spaceland race, I should like to remove it, so far as I can honestly do
so. But the Square is so unaccustomed to the use of the moral
terminology of Spaceland that I should be doing