按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
heart are not sufficiently developed； whereas the An is a creature that less lastingly concentrates his affections on one object； that if he cannot get the Gy whom he prefers he easily reconciles himself to another Gy； and； finally； that at the worst； if he is loved and taken care of； it is less necessary to the welfare of his existence that he should love as well as be loved； he grows contented with his creature comforts； and the many occupations of thought which he creates for himself。
Whatever may be said as to this reasoning； the system works well for the male； for being thus sure that he is truly and ardently loved； and that the more coy and reluctant he shows 45himself； the more determination to secure him increases； he generally contrives to make his consent dependent on such conditions as he thinks the best calculated to insure； if not a blissful； at least a peaceful life。 Each individual An has his own hobbies； his own ways； his own predilections； and； whatever they may be； he demands a promise of full and unrestrained concession to them。 This； in the pursuit of her object； the Gy readily promises； and as the characteristic of this extraordinary people is an implicit veneration for truth； and her word once given is never broken even by the giddiest Gy；
the conditions stipulated for are religiously observed。 In fact； notwithstanding all their abstract rights and powers； the Gy…ei are the most amiable； conciliatory； and submissive wives I have ever seen even in the happiest households above ground。 It is an aphorism among them； that 〃where a Gy loves it is her pleasure to obey。〃 It will be observed that in the relationship of the sexes I have spoken only of marriage； for such is the moral perfection to which this community has attained； that any illicit connection is as little possible amongst them as it would be to a couple of linnets during the time they agree to live in pairs。
Chapter XI。
Nothing had more perplexed me in seeking to reconcile my sense to the existence of regions extending below the surface of the earth； and habitable by beings； if dissimilar from； still； in all material points of organism； akin to those in the upper world； than the contradiction thus presented to the doctrine in which； I believe； most geologists and philosophers concur… viz。； that though with us the sun is the great source of heat； yet the deeper we go beneath the crust of the earth； the greater is the increasing heat； being； it is said； found in the 46ratio of a degree for every foot； commencing from fifty feet below the surface。 But though the domains of the tribe I speak of were； on the higher ground； so comparatively near to the surface； that I could account for a temperature； therein； suitable to organic life； yet even the ravines and valleys of that realm were much less hot than philosophers would deem possible at such a depth… certainly not warmer than the south of France； or at least of Italy。 And according to all the accounts I received； vast tracts immeasurably deeper beneath the surface； and in which one might have thought only salamanders could exist； were inhabited by innumerable races organised like ourselves； I cannot pretend in any way to account for a fact which is so at variance with the recognised laws of science； nor could Zee much help me towards a solution of it。 She did but conjecture that sufficient allowance had not been made by our philosophers for the extreme porousness of the interior earth… the vastness of its cavities and irregularities； which served to create free currents of air and frequent winds… and for the various modes in which heat is evaporated and thrown off。 She allowed； however； that there was a depth at which the heat was deemed to be intolerable to such organised life as was known to the experience of the Vril…ya； though their philosophers believed that even in such places life of some kind； life sentient； life intellectual； would be found abundant and thriving； could the philosophers penetrate to it。 〃Wherever the All…Good builds；〃 said she； 〃there； be sure； He places inhabitants。 He loves not empty dwellings。〃 She added； however； that many changes in temperature and climate had been effected by the skill of the Vril…ya； and that the agency of vril had been successfully employed in such changes。 She described a subtle and life…giving medium called Lai； which I suspect to be identical with the ethereal oxygen of Dr。 Lewins； wherein work all the correlative forces united under the name of vril； and contended that wherever this medium could be expanded； as it were； sufficiently for the various agencies of vril to 47have ample play； a temperature congenial to the highest forms of life could be secured。 She said also； that it was the belief of their naturalists that flowers and vegetation had been produced originally （whether developed from seeds borne from the surface of the earth in the earlier convulsions of nature； or imported by the tribes that first sought refuge in cavernous hollows） through the operations of the light constantly brought to bear on them； and the gradual improvement in culture。 She said also； that since the vril light had superseded all other light…giving bodies； the colours of flower and foliage had become more brilliant； and vegetation had acquired larger growth。
Leaving these matters to the consideration of those better competent to deal with them； I must now devote a few pages to the very interesting questions connected with the language of the Vril…ya。
Chapter XII。
The language of the Vril…ya is peculiarly interesting； because it seems to me to exhibit with great clearness the traces of the three main transitions through which language passes in attaining to perfection of form。
One of the most illustrious of recent philologists； Max Muller； in arguing for the analogy between the strata of language and the strata of the earth； lays down this absolute dogma： 〃No language can； by any possibility； be inflectional without having passed through the agglutinative and isolating stratum。 No language can be agglutinative without clinging with its roots to the underlying stratum of isolation。〃… 'On the Stratification of Language；' p。 20。
Taking then the Chinese language as the best existing type of the original isolating stratum； 〃as the faithful photograph of man in his leading…strings trying the muscles of his mind； groping his way； and so delighted with his first successful 48grasps that he repeats them again and again；〃 （Max Muller； p。 13）… we have； in the language of the Vril…ya； still 〃clinging with its roots to the underlying stratum；〃 the evidences of the original isolation。 It abounds in monosyllables； which are the foundations of the language。 The transition into the agglutinative form marks an epoch that must have gradually extended through ages； the written literature of which has only survived in a few fragments of symbolical mythology and certain pithy sentences which have passed into popular proverbs。 With the extant literature of the Vril…ya the inflectional stratum commences。 No doubt at that time there must have operated concurrent causes； in the