w that they are naked, a thing of which they
were ignorant before. And it is high time to clothe them, for they are
losing the down that remained on them after their metamorphosis."

"It is true," said Magis as he cast his eyes over the coast where
the penguins were to be seen looking for shrimps, gathering mussels,
singing, or sleeping, "they are naked. But do you not think, father,
that it would be better to leave them naked? Why clothe them? When they
wear clothes and are under the moral law they will assume an immense
pride, a vile hypocrisy, and an excessive cruelty."

"Is it possible, my son," sighed the old man, "that you understand so
badly the effects of the moral law to which even the heathen submit?"

"The moral law," answered Magis, "forces men who are beasts to live
otherwise than beasts, a thine that doubtless puts a constraint upon
them, but that also flatters and reassures them; and as they are proud,
cowardly, and covetous of pleasure, they willingly submit to restraints
that tickle their vanity and on which they found both their present
security and the hope of their future happiness. That is the principle
of all morality. . . . But let us not mislead ourselves. My companions
are unloading their cargo of stuffs and skins on the island. Think,
father, while there is still time I To clothe the penguins is a very
serious business. At present when a penguin desires a penguin he knows
precisely what he desires and his lust is limited by an exact knowledge
of its object. At this moment two or three couples of penguins are
making love on the beach. See with what simplicity! No one pays
any attention and the actors themselves do not seem to be greatly
preoccupied. But when the female penguins are clothed, the male penguin
will not form so exact a notion of what it is that attracts him to them.
His indeterminate desires will fly out into all sorts of dreams and
illusions; in short, father, he will know love and its mad torments.
And all the time the female penguins will cast down their eyes and bite
their lips, and take on airs as if they kept a treasure under their
clothes! . . . what a pity!

"The evil will be endurable as long as these people remain rude and
poor; but only wait for a thousand years and you will see, father, with
what powerful weapons you have endowed the daughters of Alca. If you
will allow me, I can give you some idea of it beforehand. I have some
old clothes in this chest. Let us take a