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lawyers； who will not make it any shorter than they can help。
The deed being thus prepared； on the third or fourth day after the
birth of the child； or as they call it； the 〃final importunity；〃
the friends gather together； and there is a feast held； where they
are all very melancholyas a general rule； I believe； quite truly
soand make presents to the father and mother of the child in
order to console them for the injury which has just been done them
by the unborn。
By…and…by the child himself is brought down by his nurse； and the
company begin to rail upon him； upbraiding him for his
impertinence； and asking him what amends he proposes to make for
the wrong that he has committed； and how he can look for care and
nourishment from those who have perhaps already been injured by the
unborn on some ten or twelve occasions； for they say of people with
large families； that they have suffered terrible injuries from the
unborn； till at last； when this has been carried far enough； some
one suggests the formula； which is brought out and solemnly read to
the child by the family straightener。 This gentleman is always
invited on these occasions； for the very fact of intrusion into a
peaceful family shows a depravity on the part of the child which
requires his professional services。
On being teased by the reading and tweaked by the nurse； the child
will commonly begin to cry； which is reckoned a good sign； as
showing a consciousness of guilt。 He is thereon asked； Does he
assent to the formula？ on which； as he still continues crying and
can obviously make no answer； some one of the friends comes forward
and undertakes to sign the document on his behalf； feeling sure （so
he says） that the child would do it if he only knew how； and that
he will release the present signer from his engagement on arriving
at maturity。 The friend then inscribes the signature of the child
at the foot of the parchment； which is held to bind the child as
much as though he had signed it himself。
Even this； however； does not fully content them； for they feel a
little uneasy until they have got the child's own signature after
all。 So when he is about fourteen； these good people partly bribe
him by promises of greater liberty and good things； and partly
intimidate him through their great power of making themselves
actively unpleasant to him； so that though there is a show of
freedom made； there is really none； they also use the offices of
the teachers in the Colleges of Unreason； till at last； in one way
or another； they take very good care that he shall sign the paper
by which he professes to have been a free agent in coming into the
world； and to take all the responsibility of having done so on to
his own shoulders。 And yet； though this document is obviously the
most important which any one can sign in his whole life； they will
have him do so at an age when neither they nor the law will for
many a year allow any one else to bind him to the smallest
obligation； no matter how righteously he may owe it； because they
hold him too young to know what he is about； and do not consider it
fair that he should commit himself to anything that may prejudice
him in after years。
I own that all this seemed rather hard； and not of a piece with the
many admirable institutions existing among them。 I once ventured
to say a part of what I thought about it to one of the Professors
of Unreason。 I did it very tenderly； but his justification of the
system was quite out of my comprehension。 I remember asking him
whether he did not think it would do harm to a lad's principles； by
weakening his sense of the sanctity of his word and of truth
generally； that he should be led into entering upon a solemn
declaration as to the truth of things about which all that he can
certainly know is that he knows nothingwhether； in fact； the
teachers who so led him； or who taught anything as a certainty of
which they were themselves uncertain； were not earning their living
by impairing the truth…sense of their pupils （a delicate
organisation mostly）； and by vitiating one of their most sacred
instincts。
The Professor； who was a delightful person； seemed greatly
surprised at the view which I took； but it had no influence with
him whatsoever。 No one； he answered； expected that the boy either
would or could know all that he said he knew； but the world was
full of compromises； and there was hardly any affirmation which
would bear being interpreted literally。 Human language was too
gross a vehicle of thoughtthought being incapable of absolute
translation。 He added； that as there can be no translation from
one language into another which shall not scant the meaning
somewhat； or enlarge upon it； so there is no language which can
render thought without a jarring and a harshness somewhereand so
forth； all of which seemed to come to this in the end； that it was
the custom of the country； and that the Erewhonians were a
conservative people； that the boy would have to begin compromising
sooner or later； and this was part of his education in the art。 It
was perhaps to be regretted that compromise should be as necessary
as it was； still it was necessary； and the sooner the boy got to
understand it the better for himself。 But they never tell this to
the boy。
From the book of their mythology about the unborn I made the
extracts which will form the following chapter。
CHAPTER XIX： THE WORLD OF THE UNBORN
The Erewhonians say that we are drawn through life backwards； or
again； that we go onwards into the future as into a dark corridor。
Time walks beside us and flings back shutters as we advance； but
the light thus given often dazzles us； and deepens the darkness
which is in front。 We can see but little at a time； and heed that
little far less than our apprehension of what we shall see next；
ever peering curiously through the glare of the present into the
gloom of the future； we presage the leading lines of that which is
before us； by faintly reflected lights from dull mirrors that are
behind； and stumble on as we may till the trap…door opens beneath
us and we are gone。
They say at other times that the future and the past are as a
panorama upon two rollers； that which is on the roller of the
future unwraps itself on to the roller of the past； we cannot
hasten it； and we may not stay it； we must see all that is unfolded
to us whether it be good or ill； and what we have seen once we may
see again no more。 It is ever unwinding and being wound； we catch
it in transition for a moment； and call it present； our flustered
senses gather what impression they can； and we guess at what is
coming by the tenor of that which we have seen。 The same hand has
painted the whole picture； and the incidents vary littlerivers；
woods； plains； mountains； towns and peoples； love； sorrow； and
death： yet the interest never flags； and we look hopefully for
some good fortune； or fearfully lest our own faces be shown us as
figuring in something terrible。 When the scene is past we think we
know it； though there is so much to see； and so little time to see
it； that our conceit of knowledge as regards the past is fo