the coming race(一个即临种族)-第12章
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of contempt not unmixed with pity。 This radical seems to have originated
from inherent sympathy between the labial effort and the sentiment that
impelled it； Poo being an utterance in which the breath is exploded from
the lips with more or less vehemence。 On the other hand； Z； when an
initial； is with them a sound in which the breath is sucked inward； and thus
Zu； pronounced Zoo （which in their language is one letter）； is the ordinary
prefix to words that signify something that attracts； pleases； touches the
heart… as Zummer； lover； Zutze； love； Zuzulia； delight。 This indrawn
sound of Z seems indeed naturally appropriate to fondness。 Thus； even
in our language； mothers say to their babies； in defiance of grammar； 〃Zoo
darling；〃 and I have heard a learned professor at Boston call his wife （he
had been only married a month） 〃Zoo little pet。〃
I cannot quit this subject； however； without observing by what slight
changes in the dialects favoured by different tribes of the same race； the
original signification and beauty of sounds may become confused and
deformed。 Zee told me with much indignation that Zummer （lover）
which in the way she uttered it； seemed slowly taken down to the very
depths of her heart； was； in some not very distant communities of the Vril…
ya； 53vitiated into the half…hissing； half…nasal； wholly disagreeable； sound
of Subber。 I thought to myself it only wanted the introduction of 'n'
before 'u' to render it into an English word significant of the last quality an
amorous Gy would desire in her Zummer。
I will but mention another peculiarity in this language which gives
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equal force and brevity to its forms of expressions。
A is with them； as with us； the first letter of the alphabet； and is often
used as a prefix word by itself to convey a complex idea of sovereignty or
chiefdom； or presiding principle。 For instance； Iva is goodness； Diva；
goodness and happiness united； A…Diva is unerring and absolute truth。 I
have already noticed the value of A in A…glauran； so； in vril （to whose
properties they trace their present state of civilisation）； A…vril； denotes； as I
have said； civilisation itself。
The philologist will have seen from the above how much the language
of the Vril…ya is akin to the Aryan or Indo…Germanic； but； like all
languages； it contains words and forms in which transfers from very
opposite sources of speech have been taken。 The very title of Tur； which
they give to their supreme magistrate； indicates theft from a tongue akin to
the Turanian。 They say themselves that this is a foreign word borrowed
from a title which their historical records show to have been borne by the
chief of a nation with whom the ancestors of the Vril…ya were； in very
remote periods； on friendly terms； but which has long become extinct； and
they say that when； after the discovery of vril； they remodelled their
political institutions； they expressly adopted a title taken from an extinct
race and a dead language for that of their chief magistrate； in order to
avoid all titles for that office with which they had previous associations。
Should life be spared to me； I may collect into systematic form such
knowledge as I acquired of this language during my sojourn amongst the
Vril…ya。 But what I have already said will perhaps suffice to show to
genuine philological students that a 54language which； preserving so
many of the roots in the aboriginal form； and clearing from the immediate；
but transitory； polysynthetical stage so many rude incumbrances； s from
popular ignorance into that popular passion or ferocity which precedes
its decease； as （to cite illustrations from the upper world） during the
French Reign of Terror； or for the fifty years of the Roman Republic
preceding the ascendancy of Augustus； their name for that state of things
is Glek…Nas。 Ek is strife… Glek； the universal strife。 Nas； as I before said；
is corruption or rot； thus； Glek…Nas may be construed； 〃the universal
strife…rot。〃 Their compounds are very expressive； thuat which the Ana
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have attained forbids the progressive cultivation of literature； especially in
the two main divisions of fiction and history；… I shall have occasion to
show later。
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CHAPTER XIII。
This people have a religion； and； whatever may be said against it； at
least it has these strange peculiarities： firstly； that all believe in the creed
they profess； secondly； that they all practice the precepts which the creed
inculcates。 They unite in the worship of one divine Creator and Sustainer
of the universe。 They believe that it is one of the properties of the all…
permeating agency of vril； to transmit to the well…spring of life and
intelligence every thought that a living creature can conceive； and though
they do not contend that the idea of a Diety is innate； yet they say that the
An （man） is the only creature； so far as their observation of nature extends；
to whom 'the capacity of conceiving that idea；' with all the trains of
thought which open out from it； is vouchsafed。 They hold that this
capacity is a privilege that cannot have been given in vain； and hence that
prayer and thanksgiving are 55acceptable to the divine Creator； and
necessary to the complete development of the human creature。 They
offer their devotions both in private and public。 Not being considered
one of their species； I was not admitted into the building or temple in
which the public worship is rendered； but I am informed that the service is
exceedingly short； and unattended with any pomp of ceremony。 It is a
doctrine with the Vril…ya； that earnest devotion or complete abstraction
from the actual world cannot； with benefit to itself； be maintained long at a
stretch by the human mind； especially in public； and that all attempts to do
so either lead to fanaticism or to hypocrisy。 When they pray in private； it
is when they are alone or with their young children。
They say that in ancient times there was a great number of books
written upon speculations as to the nature of the Diety； and upon the forms
of belief or worship supposed to be most agreeable to Him。 But these
were found to lead to such heated and angry disputations as not only to
shake the peace of the community and divide families before the most
united； but in the course of discussing the attributes of the Diety； the
existence of the Diety Himself became argued away； or； what was worse；
became invested with the passions and infirmities of the human disputants。
〃For；〃 said my host； 〃since a finite being like an An cannot possibly define
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the Infinite； so； when he endeavours to realise an idea of the Divinity； he
only reduces the Divinity into an An like himself。〃 During the later ages；
therefore； all theological speculations； though not forbidden； have been so
discouraged as to have fallen utterly into disuse。 The Vril…ya unite in a
conviction of a future state； more felicitous and more perfect than the
present。 If they have very vague notions of the doctrine of rewards and
punishments； it is perhaps because they have no systems of rewards and
punishments among themselves； for there are no crimes to punish； and
their moral standard is so even that no An among 56them is； upon the
whole； considered more virtuous than another。 If one excels； perhaps in
one virtue； another equally excels in some other virtue； If one has his
prevalent fault or infirmity； so also another has his。 In fact； in their
extraordinary mode of life。 there are so few temptations to wrong； that
they are good （according to their notions of goodness） merely because
they live。 They have some fanciful notions upon the continuance of life；
when once bestowed； even in the vegetable world； as the reader will see in
the next chapter。
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CHAPTER XIV。
Though； as I have said； the Vril…ya discourage all speculations on the
nature of the Supreme Being； they appear to concur in a belief by which
they think to solve that great problem of the existence of evil which has so
perplexed the philosophy of the upper world。 They hold that wherever
He has once given life； with the perceptions of that life； however faint it be；
as in a plant； the life is never destroyed； it passes into new and improved
forms； though not in this planet （differing therein from the ordinary
doctrine of metempsychosis）； and that the living thing retains the sense of
identity； so that it connects its past life with its future； and is 'conscious' of
its progressive improvement in the scale of joy。 For they say that；
without this assumption； they cannot； according to the lights of human
reason vouchsafed to them； discover the perfect justice which must be a
constituent quality of the All…Wise and the All…Good。 Injustice； they say；
can
