unhappy； for they none of them had the faintest idea that they were
in reality more dead than alive。 No cure for this disgusting fear…
of…giving…themselves…away disease has yet been discovered。
* * *
It was during my stay in City of the Colleges of Unreasona city
whose Erewhonian name is so cacophonous that I refrain from giving
itthat I learned the particulars of the revolution which had
ended in the destruction of so many of the mechanical inventions
which were formerly in common use。
Mr。 Thims took me to the rooms of a gentleman who had a great
reputation for learning； but who was also； so Mr。 Thims told me；
rather a dangerous person； inasmuch as he had attempted to
introduce an adverb into the hypothetical language。 He had heard
of my watch and been exceedingly anxious to see me； for he was
accounted the most learned antiquary in Erewhon on the subject of
mechanical lore。 We fell to talking upon the subject； and when I
left he gave me a reprinted copy of the work which brought the
revolution about。
It had taken place some five hundred years before my arrival：
people had long become thoroughly used to the change； although at
the time that it was made the country was plunged into the deepest
misery； and a reaction which followed had very nearly proved
successful。 Civil war raged for many years； and is said to have
reduced the number of the inhabitants by one…half。 The parties
were styled the machinists and the anti…machinists； and in the end；
as I have said already； the latter got the victory； treating their
opponents with such unparalleled severity that they extirpated
every trace of opposition。
The wonder was that they allowed any mechanical appliances to
remain in the kingdom； neither do I believe that they would have
done so； had not the Professors of Inconsistency and Evasion made a
stand against the carrying of the new principles to their
legitimate conclusions。 These Professors； moreover； insisted that
during the struggle the anti…machinists should use every known
improvement in the art of war； and several new weapons； offensive
and defensive； were invented； while it was in progress。 I was
surprised at there remaining so many mechanical specimens as are
seen in the museums； and at students having rediscovered their past
uses so completely； for at the time of the revolution the victors
wrecked all the more complicated machines； and burned all treatises
on mechanics； and all engineers' workshopsthus； so they thought；
cutting the mischief out root and branch； at an incalculable cost
of blood and treasure。
Certainly they had not spared their labour； but work of this
description can never be perfectly achieved； and when； some two
hundred years before my arrival； all passion upon the subject had
cooled down； and no one save a lunatic would have dreamed of
reintroducing forbidden inventions； the subject came to be regarded
as a curious antiquarian study； like that of some long…forgotten
religious practices among ourselves。 Then came the careful search
for whatever fragments could be found； and for any machines that
might have been hidden away； and also numberless treatises were
written； showing what the functions of each rediscovered machine
had been； all being done with no idea of using such machinery
again； but with the feelings of an English antiquarian concerning
Druidical monuments or flint arrow heads。
On my return to the metropolis； during the remaining weeks or
rather days of my sojourn in Erewhon I made a resume in English of
the work which brought about the already mentioned revolution。 My
ignorance of technical terms has led me doubtless into many errors；
and I have occasionally； where I found translation impossible；
substituted purely English names and ideas for the original
Erewhonian ones； but the reader may rely on my general accuracy。 I
have thought it best to insert my translation here。
CHAPTER XXIII： THE BOOK OF THE MACHINES
The writer commences：… 〃There was a time； when the earth was to all
appearance utterly destitute both of animal and vegetable life； and
when according to the opinion of our best philosophers it was
simply a hot round ball with a crust gradually cooling。 Now if a
human being had existed while the earth was in this state and had
been allowed to see it as though it were some other world with
which he had no concern； and if at the same time he were entirely
ignorant of all physical science； would he not have pronounced it
impossible that creatures possessed of anything like consciousness
should be evolved from the seeming cinder which he was beholding？
Would he not have denied that it contained any potentiality of
consciousness？ Yet in the course of time consciousness came。 Is
it not possible then that there may be even yet new channels dug
out for consciousness； though we can detect no signs of them at
present？
〃Again。 Consciousness； in anything like the present acceptation of
the term； having been once a new thinga thing； as far as we can
see； subsequent even to an individual centre of action and to a
reproductive system （which we see existing in plants without
apparent consciousness）why may not there arise some new phase of
mind which shall be as different from all present known phases； as
the mind of animals is from that of vegetables？
〃It would be absurd to attempt to define such a mental state （or
whatever it may be called）； inasmuch as it must be something so
foreign to man that his experience can give him no help towards
conceiving its nature； but surely when we reflect upon the manifold
phases of life and consciousness which have been evolved already；
it would be rash to say that no others can be developed； and that
animal life is the end of all things。 There was a time when fire
was the end of all things： another when rocks and water were so。〃
The writer； after enlarging on the above for several pages；
proceeded to inquire whether traces of the approach of such a new
phase of life could be perceived at present； whether we could see
any tenements preparing which might in a remote futurity be adapted
for it； whether； in fact； the primordial cell of such a kind of
life could be now detected upon earth。 In the course of his work
he answered this question in the affirmative and pointed to the
higher machines。
〃There is no security〃to quote his own words〃against the
ultimate development of mechanical consciousness； in the fact of
machines possessing little consciousness now。 A mollusc has not
much consciousness。 Reflect upon the extraordinary advance which
machines have made during the last few hundred years； and note how
slowly the animal and vegetable kingdoms are advancing。 The more
highly organised machines are creatures not so much of yesterday；
as of the last five minutes； so to speak； in comparison with past
time。 Assume for the sake of argument that conscious beings have
existed for some twenty million years： see what strides machines
have made in the last thousand！ May not the world last twenty
million years longer？ If so； what will they not in the end become？
Is it not safer to nip the mischief in the bud and to forbid them
further progress？
〃But who can say that the vapour engine has not a kind of
consciousness？ Where does consciousness begin； and where end？ Who
can draw the line？ Who can draw any line？ Is not everything
interwoven with everything？ Is not machinery linked with animal
life in an infinite variety of ways？ The shell of a hen's egg is
made of a delicate white ware and is a machine as much as an egg…
cup is： the shell is a device for holding the egg； as much as the
egg…cup for holding the shell： both are phases of the same
function； the hen makes the shell in her inside； but it is pure
pottery。 She makes her nest outside of herself for convenience'
sake； but the nest is not more of a machine than the egg…shell is。
A 'machine' is only a 'device。'〃
Then returning to consciousness； and endeavouring to detect its
earliest manifestations； the writer continued：…
〃There is a kind of plant that eats organic food with its flowers：
when a fly settles upon the blossom； the petals close upon it and
hold it fast till the plant has absorbed the insect into its
system； but they will close on nothing but what is good to eat； of
a drop of rain or a piece of stick they will take no notice。
Curious！ that so unconscious a thing should have such a keen eye to
its own interest。 If this is unconsciousness； where is the use of
consciousness？
〃Shall we say that the plant does not know what it is doing merely
because it has no eyes； or ears； or brains？ If we say that it acts
mechanically； and mechanically only； shall we not be forced to
admit that sundry other and apparently very deliberate actions are
also mechanical？ If it seems to us that the plant kills and eats a
fly mechanically； may it not seem to the plant that a man must kill
and eat a sheep mechanically？
〃But it may be said that the plant is void of reason； because the
growth of a plant is an involuntary growth。 Given earth； air； and
due temperature； the plant must grow： it is like a clock； which
being once wound up will go till it is stopped or run down： it is
like the wind blowing on the sails of a shipthe ship must go when
the wind blows it。 But can a healthy boy help growing if he have
good meat and drink and clothing？ can anything help going as long
as it is wound up； or go on after it is run down？ Is there not a
winding up process everywhere？
〃Even a potato ｛5｝ in a dark cellar has a certain low cunning about
him which serves him in excellent stead。 He knows perfectly well
what he wants and how to get it。 He sees the light coming from the
cellar window and sends his shoots crawling straight thereto： they
will crawl along the floor and up the wall and out at the cellar
window； if there be a little earth anywhere on the journey he will
find it and use it for his own ends。 What deliberation he may
exercise in the matter of his roots when he is planted in the earth
is a thing unknown to us； but we can imagine him saying； 'I will
have a tuber here and a tuber there； and I will suck whatsoever