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with it。 Number Seven passes for a natural healer。 He is looked
upon as a kind of wizard； and is lucky in living in the nineteenth
century instead of the sixteenth or earlier。 How much confidence he
feels in himself as the possessor of half…supernatural gifts I cannot
say。 I think his peculiar birthright gives him a certain confidence
in his whims and fancies which but for that he would hardly feel。
After this explanation； when I speak of Number Five or Number Seven；
you will know to whom I refer。
The company are very frank in their criticisms of each other。 〃I did
not like that expression of yours； planetary foundlings；〃 said the
Mistress。 〃It seems to me that it is too like atheism for a good
Christian like you to use。〃
Ah； my dear madam； I answered； I was thinking of the elements and the
natural forces to which man was born an almost helpless subject in
the rudimentary stages of his existence； and from which he has only
partially got free after ages upon ages of warfare with their
tyranny。 Think what hunger forced the caveman to do！ Think of the
surly indifference of the storms that swept the forest and the
waters； the earthquake chasms that engulfed him； the inundations that
drowned him out of his miserable hiding…places； the pestilences that
lay in wait for him； the unequal strife with ferocious animals！
I need not sum up all the wretchedness that goes to constitute the
〃martyrdom of man。〃 When our forefathers came to this wilderness as
it then was； and found everywhere the bones of the poor natives who
had perished in the great plague （which our Doctor there thinks was
probably the small…pox）； they considered this destructive malady as a
special mark of providential favor for them。 How about the miserable
Indians？ Were they anything but planetary foundlings？ No！
Civilization is a great foundling hospital； and fortunate are all
those who get safely into the creche before the frost or the malaria
has killed them； the wild beasts or the venomous reptiles worked out
their deadly appetites and instincts upon them。 The very idea of
humanity seems to be that it shall take care of itself and develop
its powers in the 〃struggle for life。〃 Whether we approve it or not；
if we can judge by the material record； man was born a foundling； and
fought his way as he best might to that kind of existence which we
call civilized；one which a considerable part of the inhabitants of
our planet have reached。
If you do not like the expression planetary foundlings； I have no
objection to your considering the race as put out to nurse。 And what
a nurse Nature is！ She gives her charge a hole in the rocks to live
in； ice for his pillow and snow for his blanket； in one part of the
world； the jungle for his bedroom in another； with the tiger for his
watch…dog； and the cobra as his playfellow。
Well； I said； there may be other parts of the universe where there
are no tigers and no cobras。 It is not quite certain that such
realms of creation are better off； on the whole； than this earthly
residence of ours； which has fought its way up to the development of
such centres of civilization as Athens and Rome； to such
personalities as Socrates； as Washington。
〃One of our company has been on an excursion among the celestial
bodies of our system； I understand；〃 said the Professor。
Number Five colored。 〃Nothing but a dream；〃 she said。 〃The truth
is； I had taken ether in the evening for a touch of neuralgia； and it
set my imagination at work in a way quite unusual with me。 I had
been reading a number of books about an ideal condition of society；
Sir Thomas Mores 'Utopia；' Lord Bacon's 'New Atlantis；' and another
of more recent date。 I went to bed with my brain a good deal
excited； and fell into a deep slumber； in which I passed through some
experiences so singular that； on awaking； I put them down on paper。
I don't know that there is anything very original about the
experiences I have recorded； but I thought them worth preserving。
Perhaps you would not agree with me in that belief。〃
〃If Number Five will give us a chance to form our own judgment about
her dream or vision； I think we shall enjoy it；〃 said the Mistress。
〃She knows what will please The Teacups in the way of reading as well
as I do how many lumps of sugar the Professor wants in his tea and
how many I want in mine。〃
The company was so urgent that Number Five sent up…stairs for her
paper。
Number Five reads the story of her dream。
It cost me a great effort to set down the words of the manuscript
from which I am reading。 My dreams for the most part fade away so
soon after their occurrence that I cannot recall them at all。 But in
this case my ideas held together with remarkable tenacity。 By
keeping my mind steadily upon the work； I gradually unfolded the
narrative which follows； as the famous Italian antiquary opened one
of those fragile carbonized manuscripts found in the ruins of
Herculaneum or Pompeii。
The first thing I remember about it is that I was floating upward；
without any sense of effort on my part。 The feeling was that of
flying； which I have often had in dreams； as have many other persons。
It was the most natural thing in the world；a semi…materialized
volition； if I may use such an expression。
At the first moment of my new consciousness；for I seemed to have
just emerged from a deep slumber； I was aware that there was a
companion at my side。 Nothing could be more gracious than the way in
which this being accosted me。 I will speak of it as she； because
there was a delicacy； a sweetness； a divine purity； about its aspect
that recalled my ideal of the loveliest womanhood。
〃I am your companion and your guide；〃 this being made me understand；
as she looked at me。 Some faculty of which I had never before been
conscious had awakened in me； and I needed no interpreter to explain
the unspoken language of my celestial attendant。
〃You are not yet outside of space and time；〃 she said； 〃and I am
going with you through some parts of the phenomenal or apparent
universe；what you call the material world。 We have plenty of what
you call time before us； and we will take our voyage leisurely；
looking at such objects of interest as may attract our attention as
we pass。 The first thing you will naturally wish to look at will be
the earth you have just left。 This is about the right distance；〃 she
said； and we paused in our flight。
The great globe we had left was rolling beneath us。 No eye of one in
the flesh could see it as I saw or seemed to see it。 No ear of any
mortal being could bear the sounds that came from it as I heard or
seemed to hear them。 The broad oceans unrolled themselves before me。
I could recognize the calm Pacific and the stormy Atlantic；the
ships that dotted them； the white lines where the waves broke on the
shore； frills on the robes of the continents； so they looked to
my woman's perceptio