the coming race-第7章

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her；　and　social　order　to　be　as　regular　and　unobtrusive　as　if　it　were　a　law　of　nature。　　Machinery　is　employed　to　an　inconceivable　extent　in　all　the　operations　of　labour　within　and　without　doors；　and　it　is　the　unceasing　object　of　the　department　charged　with　its　administration　to　extend　its　efficiency。　　There　is　no　class　of　labourers　or　servants；　but　all　who　are　required　to　assist　or　control　the　machinery　are　found　in　the　children；　from　the　time　they　leave　the　care　of　their　mothers　to　the　marriageable　age；　which　they　place　at　sixteen　for　the　Gy…ei　（the　females）；　twenty　for　the　Ana　（the　males）。　　These　children　are　formed　into　bands　and　sections　under　their　own　chiefs；　each　following　the　pursuits　in　which　he　is　most　pleased；　or　for　which　he　feels　himself　most　fitted。　　Some　take　to　handicrafts；　some　to　agriculture；　some　to　household　work；　and　some　to　the　only　services　of　danger　to　which　the　population　is　exposed；　for　the　sole　perils　that　threaten　this　tribe　are；　first；　from　those　occasional　convulsions　within　the　earth；　to　foresee　and　guard　against　which　tasks　their　utmost　ingenuity…　irruptions　of　fire　and　water；　the　storms　of　subterranean　winds　and　escaping　gases。　　At　the　borders　of　the　domain；　and　at　all　places　where　such　peril　might　be　apprehended；　vigilant　inspectors　are　stationed　with　telegraphic　communications　to　the　hall　in　which　chosen　sages　take　it　by　turns　to　hold　perpetual　sittings。　　These　inspectors　are　always　selected　from　the　elder　boys　approaching　the　age　of　puberty；　and　on　the　principle　that　at　that　age　observation　is　more　acute　and　the　physical　forces　more　alert　than　at　any　other。　　The　second　service　of　danger；　less　grave；　40is　in　the　destruction　of　all　creatures　hostile　to　the　life；　or　the　culture；　or　even　the　comfort；　of　the　Ana。　　Of　these　the　most　formidable　are　the　vast　reptiles；　of　some　of　which　antediluvian　relics　are　preserved　in　our　museums；　and　certain　gigantic　winged　creatures；　half　bird；　half　reptile。　　These；　together　with　lesser　wild　animals；　corresponding　to　our　tigers　or　venomous　serpents；　it　is　left　to　the　younger　children　to　hunt　and　destroy；　because；　according　to　the　Ana；　here　ruthlessness　is　wanted；　and　the　younger　the　child　the　more　ruthlessly　he　will　destroy。　　There　is　another　class　of　animals　in　the　destruction　of　which　discrimination　is　to　be　used；　and　against　which　children　of　intermediate　age　are　appointed…　animals　that　do　not　threaten　the　life　of　man；　but　ravage　the　produce　of　his　labour；　varieties　of　the　elk　and　deer　species；　and　a　smaller　creature　much　akin　to　our　rabbit；　though　infinitely　more　destructive　to　crops；　and　much　more　cunning　in　its　mode　of　depredation。　　It　is　the　first　object　of　these　appointed　infants；　to　tame　the　more　intelligent　of　such　animals　into　respect　for　enclosures　signalised　by　conspicuous　landmarks；　as　dogs　are　taught　to　respect　a　larder；　or　even　to　guard　the　master's　property。　　It　is　only　where　such　creatures　are　found　untamable　to　this　extent　that　they　are　destroyed。　　Life　is　never　taken　away　for　food　or　for　sport；　and　never　spared　where　untamably　inimical　to　the　Ana。　　Concomitantly　with　　these　bodily　services　and　tasks；　the　mental　education　of　the　　children　goes　on　till　boyhood　ceases。　　It　is　the　general　custom；　　then；　to　pass　though　a　course　of　instruction　at　the　College　of　　Sages；　in　which；　besides　more　general　studies；　the　pupil　receives　　special　lessons　in　such　vocation　or　direction　of　intellect　as　he　　himself　selects。　　Some；　however；　prefer　to　pass　this　period　of　　probation　in　travel；　or　to　emigrate；　or　to　settle　down　at　once　　into　rural　or　commercial　pursuits。　　No　force　is　put　upon　　individual　inclination。　

41　Chapter　X。


The　word　Ana　（pronounced　broadly　'Arna'）　corresponds　with　our　　plural　'men；'　An　（pronounced　'Arn'）；　the　singular；　with　'man。'　　The　word　for　woman　is　Gy　（pronounced　hard；　as　in　Guy）；　it　forms　　itself　into　Gy…ei　for　the　plural；　but　the　G　becomes　soft　in　the　　plural　like　Jy…ei。　　They　have　a　proverb　to　the　effect　that　this　　difference　in　pronunciation　is　symbolical；　for　that　the　female　　sex　is　soft　in　the　concrete；　but　hard　to　deal　with　in　the　　individual。　　The　Gy…ei　are　in　the　fullest　enjoyment　of　all　the　　rights　of　equality　with　males；　for　which　certain　philosophers　　above　ground　contend。　

In　childhood　they　perform　the　offices　of　work　and　labour　impartially　with　the　boys；　and；　indeed；　in　the　earlier　age　appropriated　to　the　destruction　of　animals　irreclaimably　hostile；　the　girls　are　frequently　preferred；　as　being　by　constitution　more　ruthless　under　the　influence　of　fear　or　hate。　　In　the　interval　between　infancy　and　the　marriageable　age　familiar　intercourse　between　the　sexes　is　suspended。　　At　the　marriageable　age　it　is　renewed；　never　with　worse　consequences　than　those　which　attend　upon　marriage。　　All　arts　and　vocations　allotted　to　the　one　sex　are　open　to　the　other；　and　the　Gy…ei　　arrogate　to　themselves　a　superiority　in　all　those　abstruse　and　　mystical　branches　of　reasoning；　for　which　they　say　the　Ana　are　　unfitted　by　a　duller　sobriety　of　understanding；　or　the　routine　　of　their　matter…of…fact　occupations；　just　as　young　ladies　in　our　　own　world　constitute　themselves　authorities　in　the　subtlest　　points　of　theological　doctrine；　for　which　few　men；　actively　　engaged　in　worldly　business　have　sufficient　learning　or　　refinement　of　intellect。　　Whether　owing　to　early　training　in　　gymnastic　exercises；　or　to　their　constitutional　organisation；　　the　Gy…ei　are　usually　superior　to　the　Ana　in　physical　strength　　（an　important　element　in　the　consideration　and　maintenance　of　　female　rights）。　　They　attain　to　loftier　stature；　and　amid　their　　42rounder　proportions　are　imbedded　sinews　and　muscles　as　hardy　as　　those　of　the　other　sex。　　Indeed　they　assert　that；　according　to　　the　original　laws　of　nature；　females　were　intended　to　be　larger　　than　males；　and　maintain　this　dogma　by　reference　to　the　earliest　　formations　of　life　in　insects；　and　in　the　most　ancient　family　of　　the　vertebrata…　viz。；　fishes…　in　both　of　which　the　females　are　　generally　large　enough　to　make　a　meal　of　their　consorts　if　they　　so　desire。　　Above　all；　the　Gy…ei　have　a　readier　and　more　　concentred　power　over　that　mysterious　fluid　or　agency　which　　contains　the　element　of　destruction；　with　a　larger　portion　of　　that　sagacity　which　comprehends　dissimulation。　　Thus　they　cannot　　only　defend　themselves　against　all　aggressions　from　the　males；　　but　could；　at　any　moment　when　he　least　expected　his　danger；　　terminate　the　existence　of　an　offending　spouse。　　To　the　credit　　of　the　Gy…ei　no　instance　of　their　abuse　of　this　awful　　superiority　in　the　art　of　destruction　is　on　record　for　several　　ages。　　The　last　that　occurred　in　the　community　I　speak　of　　appears　（according　to　their　chronology）　to　have　been　about　two　　thousand　years　ago。　　A　Gy；　then；　in　a　fit　of　jealousy；　slew　her　　husband；　and　this　abominable　act　inspired　such　terror　among　the　　males　that　they　emigrated　in　a　body　and　left　all　the　Gy…ei　to　　themselves。　　The　history　runs　that　the　widowed　Gy…ei；　thus　　reduced　to　despair；　fell　upon　the　murderess　when　in　her　sleep　　（and　therefore　unarmed）；　and　killed　her；　and　then　entered　into　a　　solemn　obligation　amongst　themselves　to　abrogate　forever　the　　exercise　of　their　extreme　conjugal　powers；　and　to　inculcate　the　　same　obligation　for　ever　and　ever　on　their　female　children。　　By　　this　conciliatory　process；　a　deputation　despatched　to　the　　fugitive　consorts　succeeded　in　persuading　many　to　return；　but　　those　who　did　return　were　mostly　the　elder　ones。　　The　younger；　　either　from　too　craven　a　doubt　of　their　consorts；　or　too　high　an　　estimate　of　their　own　merits；　rejected　all　overtures；　and；　　remaining　in　other　communities；　were　caught　up　there　by　other　　mates；　with　whom　perhaps　they　were　no　better　off。　　But　the　loss　　43of　so　large　a　portion　of　the　male　youth　operated　as　a　salutary　　warning　on　the　Gy…ei；　and　confirmed　them　in　the　pious　resolution　　to　which　they　pledged　themselves。　　Indeed　it　is　now　popularly　　considered　that；　by　long　hereditary　disuse；　the　Gy…ei　have　lost　　both　the　aggressive　and　defensive　superiority　over　the　Ana　which　　they　once　possessed；　just　as　in　the　inferior　animals　above　the　　earth　many　peculiarities　in　their　original　formation；　intended　　by　nature　for　their　protection；　gradually　fade　or　become　　inoperative　when　not　needed　under　altered　circumstances。　I　　should　be　sorry；　however；　for　any　An　who　induced　a　Gy　to　make　　the　experiment　whether　he　or　she　were　the　stronger。　

》From　the　incident　I　have　narrated；　the　Ana　date　certain　alterations　in　the　marriage　customs；　tending；　perhaps；　somewhat　to　the　advantage　of　the　male。　　They　now　bind　themselves　in　wedlock　only　for　three　years；　at　the　end　of　each　third　year　either　male　or　female　can　divorce　the　other　and　is　free　to　marry　again。　　At　the　end　of　ten　years　the　An　has　the　privilege

of　taking　a　second　wife；　allowing　the　first　to　retire　if　she　so　please。　　These　regulations　are　for　the　most　part　a　dead　letter；　divorces　and　polygamy　are　extremely　rare；　and　the　marriage　state　now　seems　singularly　happy　and　serene　among　this　astonishing　people；…　the　Gy…ei；　notwithstanding　their　boastful　superiority　in　physical　strength　and　intellectual　abilities；　being　much　curbed　into　gentle　manners　by　the　dread　of　separation　or　of　a　second　wife；　and　the　Ana　being　very　much　the　creatures　of　custom；　and　not；　except　under　great　aggravation；　likely　to　exchange　for　hazardous　novelties　faces　and　manners　to　which　they　are　reconciled　by　habit。　　But　there　is　one　privilege　the　Gy…ei　carefully　retain；　and　the　desire　for　which　perhaps　forms　the　secret　motive　of　most　lady　asserters　of　woman　rights　above　ground。　　They　claim　the　privilege；　here　usurped　by　men；　of　proclaiming　their　love　and　urging　their　suit；　in　other　words；　of　being　the　wooing　party　rather　than　the　wooed。　　Such　a　44phenomenon　as　an　old　maid　does　not　exist　among　the　Gy…ei。　　Indeed　it　is　very　seldom　that　a　Gy　does　not　secure　any　An　upon　whom　she　sets　her　heart；　if　his　affections　be　not　strongly　engaged　elsewhere。　　However　coy；　reluctant；　and　prudish；　the　male　she　courts　may　prove　at　first；　yet　her　perseverance；　her　ardour；　her　persuasive　powers；　her　command　over　the　mystic　agencies　of　vril；　are　pretty　sure　to　run　down　his　neck　into　what　we　call　〃the　fatal　noose。〃　　Their　argument　for　the　reversal　of　that　relationship　of　the　sexes　which　the　blind　tyranny　of　man　has　established　on　the　surface　of　the　earth；　appears　cogent；　and　is　advanced　with　a　frankness　which　might　well　be　commended　to　impartial　consideration。　　They　say；　that　of　the　two　the　female　is　by　nature　of　a　more　loving　disposition　than　the　male…　that　love　occupies　a　larger　space　in　her　thoughts；　and　is　more　essential　to　her　happiness；　and　that　therefore　she　ought　to　be　the　wooing　party；　that　otherwise　the　male　is　a　shy　and　dubitant　creature…　that　he　has　often　a　selfish　predilection　for　the　single　state…　that　he　often　pretends　to　misunderstand　tender　glances　and　delicate　hints…　that；　in　short；　he　must　be　resolutely　pursued　and　captured。　　They　add；　moreover；　that　unless　the　Gy　can　secure　the　An　of　her　choice；　and　one　whom　she　would　not　select　out　of　the　whole　world　becomes　her　mate；　she　is　not　only　less　happy　than　she　otherwise　would　be；　but　she　is　not　so　good　a　being；　that　her　qualities　of　heart　are　not　sufficiently　developed；　whereas　the　An　is　a　creature　that　less　　lastingly　concentrate