they will not only require our services in the reproduction and
education of their young； but also in waiting upon them as
servants； in gathering food for them； and feeding them； in
restoring them to health when they are sick； and in either burying
their dead or working up their deceased members into new forms of
mechanical existence。
〃The very nature of the motive power which works the advancement of
the machines precludes the possibility of man's life being rendered
miserable as well as enslaved。 Slaves are tolerably happy if they
have good masters； and the revolution will not occur in our time；
nor hardly in ten thousand years； or ten times that。 Is it wise to
be uneasy about a contingency which is so remote？ Man is not a
sentimental animal where his material interests are concerned； and
though here and there some ardent soul may look upon himself and
curse his fate that he was not born a vapour…engine； yet the mass
of mankind will acquiesce in any arrangement which gives them
better food and clothing at a cheaper rate； and will refrain from
yielding to unreasonable jealousy merely because there are other
destinies more glorious than their own。
〃The power of custom is enormous； and so gradual will be the
change； that man's sense of what is due to himself will be at no
time rudely shocked； our bondage will steal upon us noiselessly and
by imperceptible approaches； nor will there ever be such a clashing
of desires between man and the machines as will lead to an
encounter between them。 Among themselves the machines will war
eternally； but they will still require man as the being through
whose agency the struggle will be principally conducted。 In point
of fact there is no occasion for anxiety about the future happiness
of man so long as he continues to be in any way profitable to the
machines； he may become the inferior race； but he will be
infinitely better off than he is now。 Is it not then both absurd
and unreasonable to be envious of our benefactors？ And should we
not be guilty of consummate folly if we were to reject advantages
which we cannot obtain otherwise； merely because they involve a
greater gain to others than to ourselves？
〃With those who can argue in this way I have nothing in common。 I
shrink with as much horror from believing that my race can ever be
superseded or surpassed； as I should do from believing that even at
the remotest period my ancestors were other than human beings。
Could I believe that ten hundred thousand years ago a single one of
my ancestors was another kind of being to myself； I should lose all
self…respect； and take no further pleasure or interest in life。 I
have the same feeling with regard to my descendants； and believe it
to be one that will be felt so generally that the country will
resolve upon putting an immediate stop to all further mechanical
progress； and upon destroying all improvements that have been made
for the last three hundred years。 I would not urge more than this。
We may trust ourselves to deal with those that remain； and though I
should prefer to have seen the destruction include another two
hundred years； I am aware of the necessity for compromising； and
would so far sacrifice my own individual convictions as to be
content with three hundred。 Less than this will be insufficient。〃
This was the conclusion of the attack which led to the destruction
of machinery throughout Erewhon。 There was only one serious
attempt to answer it。 Its author said that machines were to be
regarded as a part of man's own physical nature； being really
nothing but extra…corporeal limbs。 Man； he said； was a machinate
mammal。 The lower animals keep all their limbs at home in their
own bodies； but many of man's are loose； and lie about detached；
now here and now there； in various parts of the worldsome being
kept always handy for contingent use； and others being occasionally
hundreds of miles away。 A machine is merely a supplementary limb；
this is the be all and end all of machinery。 We do not use our own
limbs other than as machines； and a leg is only a much better
wooden leg than any one can manufacture。
〃Observe a man digging with a spade； his right fore…arm has become
artificially lengthened； and his hand has become a joint。 The
handle of the spade is like the knob at the end of the humerus； the
shaft is the additional bone； and the oblong iron plate is the new
form of the hand which enables its possessor to disturb the earth
in a way to which his original hand was unequal。 Having thus
modified himself； not as other animals are modified； by
circumstances over which they have had not even the appearance of
control； but having； as it were； taken forethought and added a
cubit to his stature； civilisation began to dawn upon the race； the
social good offices； the genial companionship of friends； the art
of unreason； and all those habits of mind which most elevate man
above the lower animals； in the course of time ensued。
〃Thus civilisation and mechanical progress advanced hand in hand；
each developing and being developed by the other； the earliest
accidental use of the stick having set the ball rolling； and the
prospect of advantage keeping it in motion。 In fact； machines are
to be regarded as the mode of development by which human organism
is now especially advancing； every past invention being an addition
to the resources of the human body。 Even community of limbs is
thus rendered possible to those who have so much community of soul
as to own money enough to pay a railway fare； for a train is only a
seven…leagued foot that five hundred may own at once。〃
The one serious danger which this writer apprehended was that the
machines would so equalise men's powers； and so lessen the severity
of competition； that many persons of inferior physique would escape
detection and transmit their inferiority to their descendants。 He
feared that the removal of the present pressure might cause a
degeneracy of the human race； and indeed that the whole body might
become purely rudimentary； the man himself being nothing but soul
and mechanism； an intelligent but passionless principle of
mechanical action。
〃How greatly；〃 he wrote； 〃do we not now live with our external
limbs？ We vary our physique with the seasons； with age； with
advancing or decreasing wealth。 If it is wet we are furnished with
an organ commonly called an umbrella； and which is designed for the
purpose of protecting our clothes or our skins from the injurious
effects of rain。 Man has now many extra…corporeal members； which
are of more importance to him than a good deal of his hair； or at
any rate than his whiskers。 His memory goes in his pocket…book。
He becomes more and more complex as he grows older； he will then be
seen with see…engines； or perhaps with artificial teeth and hair：
if he be a really well…developed specimen of his race； he will be
furnished with a large box upon wheels； two horses； and a
coachman。〃
It was this writer who originated the custom of classifying men by
their horse…power； and who divided them into genera； species；
varieties； and subvarieties； giving them names from the
hypothetical language which expressed the number of limbs which
they could command at any moment。 He showed that men became more
highly and delicately organised the more nearly they approached the
summit of opulence； and that none but millionaires possessed the
full complement of limbs with which mankind could become
incorporate。
〃Those mighty organisms；〃 he continued； 〃our leading bankers and
merchants； speak to their congeners through the length and breadth
of the land in a second of time； their rich and subtle souls can
defy all material impediment； whereas the souls of the poor are
clogged and hampered by matter； which sticks fast about them as
treacle to the wings of a fly； or as one struggling in a quicksand：
their dull ears must take days or weeks to hear what another would
tell them from a distance； instead of hearing it in a second as is
done by the more highly organised classes。 Who shall deny that one
who can tack on a special train to his identity； and go wheresoever
he will whensoever he pleases； is more highly organised than he
who； should he wish for the same power； might wish for the wings of
a bird with an equal chance of getting them； and whose legs are his
only means of locomotion？ That old philosophic enemy； matter； the
inherently and essentially evil； still hangs about the neck of the
poor and strangles him： but to the rich； matter is immaterial； the
elaborate organisation of his extra…corporeal system has freed his
soul。
〃This is the secret of the homage which we see rich men receive
from those who are poorer than themselves： it would be a grave
error to suppose that this deference proceeds from motives which we
need be ashamed of： it is the natural respect which all living
creatures pay to those whom they recognise as higher than
themselves in the scale of animal life； and is analogous to the
veneration which a dog feels for man。 Among savage races it is
deemed highly honourable to be the possessor of a gun； and
throughout all known time there has been a feeling that those who
are worth most are the worthiest。〃
And so he went on at considerable length； attempting to show what
changes in the distribution of animal and vegetable life throughout
the kingdom had been caused by this and that of man's inventions；
and in what way each was connected with the moral and intellectual
development of the human species： he even allotted to some the
share which they had had in the creation and modification of man's
body； and that which they would hereafter have in its destruction；
but the other writer was considered to have the best of it； and in
the end succeeded in destroying all the inventions that had been
discovered for the preceding 271 years； a period which was agreed
upon by all parties after several years of wrangling as to whether
a certain kind of mangle which was much in use among washerwomen
should be saved or no。 It was at last ruled to be dangerous； and
was just excluded by the limit of 271 years。 Then came the
reactionary civil wars which ne