y adored by us than they are: but behind their backs they are
both regarded and spoken of--by all but the very young--as being little
better than "mindless organisms."

Our Theology also in the Women's chambers is entirely different from
our Theology elsewhere.

Now my humble fear is that this double training, in language as well as
in thought, imposes somewhat too heavy a burden upon the young,
especially when, at the age of three years old, they are taken from the
maternal care and taught to unlearn the old language--except for the
purpose of repeating it in the presence of the Mothers and Nurses--and
to learn the vocabulary and idiom of science. Already methinks I
discern a weakness in the grasp of mathematical truth at the present
time as compared with the more robust intellect of our ancestors three
hundred years ago. I say nothing of the possible danger if a Woman
should ever surreptitiously learn to read and convey to her Sex the
result of her perusal of a single popular volume; nor of the
possibility that the indiscretion or disobedience of some infant Male
might reveal to a Mother the secrets of the logical dialect. On the
simple ground of the enfeebling of the male intellect, I rest this
humble appeal to the highest Authorities to reconsider the regulations
of Female education.

PART II

OTHER WORLDS

"O brave new worlds, That have such people in them!"

SECTION 13 How I had a Vision of Lineland

It was the last day but one of the 1999th year of our era, and the
first day of the Long Vacation. Having amused myself till a late hour
with my favourite recreation of Geometry, I had retired to rest with an
unsolved problem in my mind. In the night I had a dream.

I saw before me a vast multitude of small Straight Lines (which I
naturally assumed to be Women) interspersed with other Beings still
smaller and of the nature of lustrous points--all moving to and fro in
one and the same Straight Line, and, as nearly as I could judge, with
the same velocity.

A noise of confused, multitudinous chirping or twittering issued from
them at intervals as long as they were moving; but sometimes they
ceased from motion, and then all was silence.

Approaching one of the largest of what I thought to be Women, I
accosted her, but received no answer. A second and third appeal on my
part were equally ineffectual. Losing patience at what appeared to me
intolerable rudeness, I brought my mouth to