as a strange
idea--this achievement of an earthly Nirvana.

"Do you believe in the independent life of the soul after death?" I
inquired.

"I believe that, as our bodies when they die become reabsorbed into
the bosom of nature, to become in part or whole reincarnated in other
forms of life, so also our souls are reabsorbed into the great ocean
of existence, to also dwell, in time, wholly or in part in some other
form of life or love."

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE BANQUET ON THE AERIAL SHIP.

The saloon, which was also the _salle a manger_, was situated in the
centre of the ship. Thus the entire travellers could assemble together
without disturbing the centre of gravity of the structure.

The saloon was composed of woven cane, and ornamented with a dado of
sage-green silk, on which were embroidered storks, pheasants and
eagles flying through space. An elongated table, also of wicker work,
contained a sumptuous repast.

The goddess congratulated the guests on their safety, which proved
that the skill that produced the _Aeropher_ had successfully grappled
with the difficult problem of aerial navigation.

The inventor of the _Aeropher_ said it was the apex of mechanical
skill. Invention had raised humanity from the depths of slavery,
ignorance, and weakness to a height of empire undreamed of in earlier
ages. Such material greatness expands the soul with godlike
attributes. The ideal, inventive soul, the typical soul, was a god.

The poet said that the _Aeropher_ was the symbol of that kind of
poetry in which energy and art were in equipoise. It glorified
mechanical skill. It had been prophesied that as civilization advanced
poetry would decline. There was a period in the history of Atvatabar
in which matters of taste, imagination and intellectual emotion had
been utterly neglected by a universal preference for scientific and
mechanical pursuits. The country was overrun with reasoners, debaters,
metaphysicians, scientists and mechanical artists, but there were no
poets. Such mechanical civilization was unfavorable to their
development. The founding of such institutions as the art palace of
Gnaphisthasia and the spiritual palace of Egyplosis had grafted on
their modern life the soul life of more ancient times, until
soul-worship had become the universal religion.

The goddess said that the aerial ship was the symbol of an ideal and
passionate temperament resolved on discovering new spheres of
spiritual beauty, so