I am about to appear very inconsistent. In previous sections I have said that all figures in Flatland present the appearance of a straight line; and it was added or implied, that it is consequently impossible to distinguish by the visual organ between individuals of different classes: yet now I am about to explain to my Spaceland critics how we are able to recognize one another by the sense of sight.
If however the Reader will take the trouble to refer to the passage in which Recognition by Feeling is stated to be universal, he will find this qualification — “among the lower classes”. It is only among the higher classes and in our temperate1 climates that Sight Recognition is practised.
That this power exists in any regions and for any classes is the result of Fog; which prevails during the greater part of the year in all parts save the torrid zones. That which is with you in Spaceland an unmixed evil, blotting2 out the landscape, depressing the spirits, and enfeebling the health, is by us recognized as a blessing3 scarcely inferior to air itself, and as the Nurse of arts and Parent of sciences. But let me explain my meaning, without further eulogies4 on this beneficent Element.
If Fog were non-existent, all lines would appear equally and indistinguishably clear; and this is actually the case in those unhappy countries in which the atmosphere is perfectly5 dry and transparent6. But wherever there is a rich supply of Fog objects that are at a distance, say of three feet, are appreciably7 dimmer than those at a distance of two feet eleven inches; and the result is that by careful and constant experimental observation of comparative dimness and clearness, we are enabled to infer with great exactness the configuration8 of the object observed.
An instance will do more than a volume of generalities to make my meaning clear.
Suppose I see two individuals approaching whose rank I wish to ascertain9. They are, we will suppose, a Merchant and a Physician, or in other words, an Equilateral Triangle and a Pentagon: how am I to distinguish them?
It will be obvious, to every child in Spaceland who has touched
the threshold of Geometrical Studies, that, if I can bring my eye so that its glance may bisect an angle (A) of the approaching stranger, my view will lie as it were evenly between his two sides that are next to me (viz. CA and AB), so that I shall contemplate10 the two impartially11, and both will appear of the same size.
Now in the case of (1) the Merchant, what shall I see? I shall see a straight line DAE, in which the middle point (A) will be very bright because it is nearest to me; but on either side the line will shade away RAPIDLY INTO DIMNESS, because the sides AC and AB RECEDE12 RAPIDLY INTO THE FOG and what appear to me as the Merchant’s extremities13, viz. D and E, will be VERY DIM INDEED.
On the other hand in the case of (2) the Physician, though I shall here also see a line (D’A’E’) with a bright centre (A’), yet it will shade away LESS RAPIDLY into dimness, because the sides (A’C’, A’B’) RECEDE LESS RAPIDLY INTO THE FOG: and what appear to me the Physician’s extremities, viz. D’ and E’, will not be NOT SO DIM as the extremities of the Merchant.
The Reader will probably understand from these two instances how — after a very long training supplemented by constant experience — it is possible for the well-educated classes among us to discriminate14 with fair accuracy between the middle and lowest orders, by the sense of sight. If my Spaceland Patrons have grasped this general conception, so far as to conceive the possibility of it and not to reject my account as altogether incredible — I shall have attained15 all I can reasonably expect. Were I to attempt further details I should only perplex. Yet for the sake of the young and inexperienced, who may perchance infer — from the two simple instances I have given above, of the manner in which I should recognize my Father and my Sons — that Recognition by sight is an easy affair, it may be needful to point out that in actual life most of the problems of Sight Recognition are far more subtle and complex.
If for example, when my Father, the Triangle, approaches me, he happens to present his side to me instead of his angle, then, until I have asked him to rotate, or until I have edged my eye round him,
I am for the moment doubtful whether he may not be a Straight Line, or, in other words, a Woman. Again, when I am in the company of one of my two hexagonal Grandsons, contemplating16 one of his sides (AB) full front, it will be evident from the accompanying diagram that I shall see one whole line (AB) in comparative brightness (shading off hardly at all at the ends) and two smaller lines (CA and BD) dim throughout and shading away into greater dimness towards the extremities C and D.
But I must not give way to the temptation of enlarging on these topics. The meanest mathematician17 in Spaceland will readily believe me when I assert that the problems of life, which present themselves to the well-educated — when they are themselves in motion, rotating, advancing or retreating, and at the same time attempting to discriminate by the sense of sight between a number of Polygons of high rank moving in different directions, as for example in a ball-room or conversazione — must be of a nature to task the angularity of the most intellectual, and amply justify19 the rich endowments of the Learned Professors of Geometry, both Static and Kinetic20, in the illustrious University of Wentbridge, where the Science and Art of Sight Recognition are regularly taught to large classes of the ELITE21 of the States.
It is only a few of the scions22 of our noblest and wealthiest houses, who are able to give the time and money necessary for the thorough prosecution23 of this noble and valuable Art. Even to me, a Mathematician of no mean standing24, and the Grandfather of two most hopeful and perfectly regular Hexagons, to find myself in the midst of a crowd of rotating Polygons of the higher classes, is occasionally very perplexing. And of course to a common Tradesman, or Serf, such a sight is almost as unintelligible25 as it would be to you, my Reader, were you suddenly transported into our country.
In such a crowd you could see on all sides of you nothing but a Line, apparently26 straight, but of which the parts would vary irregularly and perpetually in brightness or dimness. Even if you had completed your third year in the Pentagonal and Hexagonal classes in the University, and were perfect in the theory of the subject, you would still find that there was need of many years of experience, before you could move in a fashionable crowd without jostling against your betters, whom it is against etiquette27 to ask to “feel”, and who, by their superior culture and breeding, know all about your movements, while you know very little or nothing about theirs. In a word, to comport28 oneself with perfect propriety29 in Polygonal30 society, one ought to be a Polygon18 oneself. Such at least is the painful teaching of my experience.
It is astonishing how much the Art — or I may almost call it instinct — of Sight Recognition is developed by the habitual31 practice of it and by the avoidance of the custom of “Feeling”. Just as, with you, the deaf and dumb, if once allowed to gesticulate and to use the hand-alphabet, will never acquire the more difficult but far more valuable art of lipspeech and lip-reading, so it is with us as regards “Seeing” and “Feeling”. None who in early life resort to “Feeling” will ever learn “Seeing” in perfection.
For this reason, among our Higher Classes, “Feeling” is discouraged or absolutely forbidden. From the cradle their children, instead of going to the Public Elementary schools (where the art of Feeling is taught), are sent to higher Seminaries of an exclusive character; and at our illustrious University, to “feel” is regarded as a most serious fault, involving Rustication32 for the first offence, and Expulsion for the second.
But among the lower classes the art of Sight Recognition is regarded as an unattainable luxury. A common Tradesman cannot afford to let his son spend a third of his life in abstract studies. The children of the poor are therefore allowed to “feel” from their earliest years, and they gain thereby33 a precocity34 and an early vivacity35 which contrast at first most favourably36 with the inert37, undeveloped, and listless behaviour of the half-instructed youths of the Polygonal class; but when the latter have at last completed their University course, and are prepared to put their theory into practice, the change that comes over them may almost be described as a new birth, and in every art, science, and social pursuit they rapidly overtake and distance their Triangular38 competitors.
Only a few of the Polygonal Class fail to pass the Final Test or Leaving Examination at the University. The condition of the unsuccessful minority is truly pitiable. Rejected from the higher class, they are also despised by the lower. They have neither the matured and systematically39 trained powers of the Polygonal Bachelors and Masters of Arts, nor yet the native precocity and mercurial40 versatility41 of the youthful Tradesman. The professions, the public services, are closed against them; and though in most States they are not actually debarred from marriage, yet they have the greatest difficulty in forming suitable alliances, as experience shews that the offspring of such unfortunate and ill-endowed parents is generally itself unfortunate, if not positively42 Irregular.
It is from these specimens43 of the refuse of our Nobility that the great Tumults44 and Seditions of past ages have generally derived45 their leaders; and so great is the mischief46 thence arising that an increasing minority of our more progressive Statesmen are of opinion that true mercy would dictate47 their entire suppression, by enacting48 that all who fail to pass the Final Examination of the University should be either imprisoned49 for life, or extinguished by a painless death.
But I find myself digressing into the subject of Irregularities, a matter of such vital interest that it demands a separate section.
收听单词发音 |
1
temperate
|
|
| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
blotting
|
|
| 吸墨水纸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
blessing
|
|
| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
eulogies
|
|
| n.颂词，颂文( eulogy的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
transparent
|
|
| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
appreciably
|
|
| adv.相当大地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
configuration
|
|
| n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
ascertain
|
|
| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
contemplate
|
|
| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
impartially
|
|
| adv.公平地，无私地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
recede
|
|
| vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
extremities
|
|
| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
discriminate
|
|
| v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
attained
|
|
| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
contemplating
|
|
| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
mathematician
|
|
| n.数学家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
polygon
|
|
| n.多边形；多角形 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
justify
|
|
| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
kinetic
|
|
| adj.运动的；动力学的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
elite
|
|
| n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
scions
|
|
| n.接穗，幼枝( scion的名词复数 )；（尤指富家）子孙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
prosecution
|
|
| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
unintelligible
|
|
| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
etiquette
|
|
| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
comport
|
|
| vi.相称，适合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
propriety
|
|
| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
polygonal
|
|
| adj.多角形的，多边形的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
habitual
|
|
| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
rustication
|
|
| n.被罚休学，定居农村；乡村生活 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
33
thereby
|
|
| adv.因此，从而 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
precocity
|
|
| n.早熟，早成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
vivacity
|
|
| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
favourably
|
|
| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
inert
|
|
| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
triangular
|
|
| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
systematically
|
|
| adv.有系统地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
mercurial
|
|
| adj.善变的，活泼的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
versatility
|
|
| n.多才多艺，多样性，多功能 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
specimens
|
|
| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
tumults
|
|
| 吵闹( tumult的名词复数 )； 喧哗； 激动的吵闹声； 心烦意乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
45
derived
|
|
| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
mischief
|
|
| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
dictate
|
|
| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
enacting
|
|
| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
imprisoned
|
|
| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |