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constitute their woe。 As the Gy is sure only to marry where she herself
fixes her choice； and as here； not less than above ground； it is the female
on whom the happiness of home depends； so the Gy； having chosen the
mate she prefers to all others； is lenient to his faults； consults his humours；
and does her best to secure his attachment。 The death of a beloved one is
of course with them； as with us； a cause for sorrow； but not only is death
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with them so much more rare before that age in which it becomes a release；
but when it does occur the survivor takes much more consolation than； I
am afraid； the generality of us do； in the certainty of reunion in another
and yet happier life。
All these causes； then； concur to their healthful and enjoyable
longevity； though； no doubt； much also must be owing to hereditary
organisation。 According to their records； however； in those earlier stages
of their society when they lived in communities resembling ours； agitated
by fierce competition； their lives were considerably shorter； and their
maladies more numerous and grave。 They themselves say that the
duration of life； too； has increased； and is still on the increase； since their
discovery of the invigorating and medicinal properties of vril； applied for
remedial purposes。 They have few professional and regular practitioners
of medicine； and these are chiefly Gy…ei； who； especially if widowed and
childless； find great delight in the healing art； and even undertake surgical
operations in those cases required by accident； or； more rarely； by disease。
They have their diversions and entertainments； and； during the Easy
Time of their day； they are wont to assemble in great numbers for those
winged sports in the air which I have already 83described。 They have
also public halls for music； and even theatres； at which are performed
pieces that appeared to me somewhat to resemble the plays of the Chinese…
dramas that are thrown back into distant times for their events and
personages； in which all classic unities are outrageously violated； and the
hero； in once scene a child； in the next is an old man； and so forth。 These
plays are of very ancient composition； and their stories cast in remote
times。 They appeared to me very dull； on the whole； but were relieved
by startling mechanical contrivances； and a kind of farcical broad humour；
and detached passages of great vigour and power expressed in language
highly poetical； but somewhat overcharged with metaphor and trope。 In
fine； they seemed to me very much what the plays of Shakespeare seemed
to a Parisian in the time of Louis XV。； or perhaps to an Englishman in the
reign of Charles II。
The audience； of which the Gy…ei constituted the chief portion；
appeared to enjoy greatly the representation of these dramas； which； for so
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The Coming Race
sedate and majestic a race of females； surprised me； till I observed that all
the performers were under the age of adolescence； and conjectured truly
that the mothers and sisters came to please their children and brothers。
I have said that these dramas are of great antiquity。 No new plays；
indeed no imaginative works sufficiently important to survive their
immediate day； appear to have been composed for several generations。
In fact； though there is no lack of new publications； and they have even
what may be called newspapers； these are chiefly devoted to mechanical
science； reports of new inventions； announcements respecting various
details of business… in short； to practical matters。 Sometimes a child
writes a little tale of adventure； or a young Gy vents her amorous hopes or
fears in a poem； but these effusions are of very little merit； and are seldom
read except by children and maiden Gy…ei。 The most interesting works
of a purely literary character are those of explorations and travels into
other regions of this nether world； which are generally written by 84young
emigrants； and are read with great avidity by the relations and friends they
have left behind。
I could not help expressing to Aph…Lin my surprise that a community
in which mechanical science had made so marvellous a progress； and in
which intellectual civilisation had exhibited itself in realising those objects
for the happiness of the people； which the political philosophers above
ground had； after ages of struggle； pretty generally agreed to consider
unattainable visions； should； nevertheless； be so wholly without a
contemporaneous literature； despite the excellence to which culture had
brought a language at once so rich and simple； vigourous and musical。
My host replied… 〃Do you not percieve that a literature such as you
mean would be wholly incompatible with that perfection of social or
political felicity at which you do us the honour to think we have arrived？
We have at last； after centuries of struggle； settled into a form of
government with which we are content； and in which； as we allow no
differences of rank； and no honours are paid to administrators
distinguishing them from others； there is no stimulus given to individual
ambition。 No one would read works advocating theories that involved
any political or social change； and therefore no one writes them。 If now
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and then an An feels himself dissatisfied with our tranquil mode of life； he
does not attack it； he goes away。 Thus all that part of literature （and to
judge by the ancient books in our public libraries； it was once a very large
part）； which relates to speculative theories on society is become utterly
extinct。 Again； formerly there was a vast deal written respecting the
attributes and essence of the All…Good； and the arguments for and against
a future state； but now we all recognise two facts； that there