to the purest elimination of our species by the severity of the struggles our forefathers underwent； and that； when our education shall become finally completed； we are destined to return to the upper world； and supplant all the inferior races now existing therein。〃
Aph…Lin and Zee often conversed with me in private upon the political and social conditions of that upper world； in which Zee so philosophically assumed that the inhabitants were to be exterminated one day or other by the advent of the Vril…ya。 They found in my accounts；… in which I continued to do all I could （without launching into falsehoods so positive that they would have been easily detected by the shrewdness of my listeners） to present our powers and ourselves in the most flattering point of view；… perpetual subjects of comparison 67between our most civilised populations and the meaner subterranean races which they considered hopelessly plunged in barbarism； and doomed to gradual if certain extinction。 But they both agreed in desiring to conceal from their community all premature opening into the regions lighted by the sun； both were humane； and shrunk from the thought of annihilating so many millions of creatures； and the pictures I drew of our life； highly coloured as they were； saddened them。 In vain I boasted of our great men… poets； philosophers； orators； generals… and defied the Vril…ya to produce their equals。 〃Alas；〃 said Zee； 〃this predominance of the few over the many is the surest and most fatal sign of a race incorrigibly savage。 See you not that the primary condition of mortal happiness consists in the extinction of that strife and competition between individuals； which； no matter what forms of government they adopt； render the many subordinate to the few； destroy real liberty to the individual； whatever may be the nominal liberty of the state； and annul that calm of existence； without which； felicity； mental or bodily； cannot be attained？ Our notion is； that the more we can assimilate life to the existence which our noblest ideas can conceive to be that of spirits on the other side of the grave； why； the more we approximate to a divine happiness here； and the more easily we glide into the conditions of being hereafter。 For； surely； all we can imagine of the life of gods； or of blessed immortals； supposes the absence of self…made cares and contentious passions； such as avarice and ambition。 It seems to us that it must be a life of serene tranquility； not indeed without active occupations to the intellectual or spiritual powers； but occupations； of whatsoever nature they be； congenial to the idiosyncrasies of each； not forced and repugnant… a life gladdened by the untrammelled interchange of gentle affections； in which the moral atmosphere utterly kills hate and vengeance； and strife and rivalry。 Such is the political state to which 68all the tribes and families of the Vril…ya seek to attain； and towards that goal all our theories of government are shaped。 You see how utterly opposed is such a progress to that of the uncivilised nations from which you come； and which aim at a systematic perpetuity of troubles； and cares； and warring passions aggravated more and more as their progress storms its way onward。 The most powerful of all the races in our world； beyond the pale of the Vril…ya； esteems itself the best governed of all political societies； and to have reached in that respect the extreme end at which political wisdom can arrive； so that the other nations should tend more or less to copy it。 It has established； on its broadest base； the Koom…Posh… viz。； the government of the ignorant upon the principle of being the most numerous。 It has placed the supreme bliss in the vying with each other in all things； so that the evil passions are never in repose… vying for power； for wealth； for eminence of some kind； and in this rivalry it is horrible to hear the vituperation； the slanders； and calumnies which even the best and mildest among them heap on each other without remorse or shame。〃
〃Some years ago；〃 said Aph…Lin； 〃I visited this people； and their misery and degradation were the more appalling because they were always boasting of their felicity and grandeur as compared with the rest of their species。 And there is no hope that this people； which evidently resembles your own； can improve； because all their notions tend to further deterioration。 They desire to enlarge their dominion more and more； in direct antagonism to the truth that； beyond a very limited range； it is impossible to secure to a community the happiness which belongs to a well…ordered family； and the more they mature a system by which a few individuals are heated and swollen to a size above the standard slenderness of the millions； the more they chuckle and exact； and cry out； 'See by what great exceptions to the common littleness of our race we prove the magnificent results of our system！'〃 69 〃In fact；〃 resumed Zee； 〃if the wisdom of human life be to approximate to the serene equality of immortals； there can be no more direct flying off into the opposite direction than a system which aims at carrying to the utmost the inequalities and turbulences of mortals。 Nor do I see how； by any forms of religious belief； mortals； so acting； could fit themselves even to appreciate the joys of immortals to which they still expect to be transferred by the mere act of dying。 On the contrary； minds accustomed to place happiness in things so much the reverse of godlike； would find the happiness of gods exceedingly dull； and would long to get back to a world in which they could quarrel with each other。〃
Chapter XVI。
I have spoken so much of the Vril Staff that my reader may expect me to describe it。 This I cannot do accurately； for I was never allowed to handle it for fear of some terrible accident occasioned by my ignorance of its use； and I have no doubt that it requires much skill and practice in the exercise of its various powers。 It is hollow； and has in the handle several stops； keys； or springs by which its force can be altered； modified； or directed… so that by one process it destroys； by another it heals… by one it can rend the rock； by another disperse the vapour… by one it affects bodies； by another it can exercise a certain influence over minds。 It is usually carried in the convenient size of a walking…staff； but it has slides by which it can be lengthened or shortened at will。 When used for special purposes； the upper part rests in the hollow of the palm with the fore and middle fingers protruded。 I was assured； however； that its power was not equal in all； but proportioned to the amount of certain vril 70properties in the wearer in affinity； or 'rapport' with the purposes to be effected。 Some were more potent to destroy； others to heal； &c。； much also depended on the calm and steadiness of volition in the manipulator。 They assert that the full exercise of vril power can only be acquired by the constitutional temperament… i。e。； by hereditarily transmitted organisation… and that a female infant of four years old belonging to the Vril…ya races can accomplish feats which a life spent in its practice would not enable the strongest and most skilled mechanician； born out of the pale of the Vril…ya to achieve。 All these wands are not equally complicated； those intrusted to children are much simpler than those borne by sages of either sex； and constructed with a view to the special object on which the children are employed； which as I have before said； is among the youngest children the most destructive。 In the wands of wives and mothers the correlative destroying force is usually abstracted； the healing power fully charged。 I wish I could say more in detail of this singular conductor of the vril fluid； but its machinery is as exquisite as its effects are marvellous。
I should say； however； that this people have invented certain tubes by which the vril fluid can be conducted towards the object it is meant to destroy； throughout a distance almost indefinite； at least I put it modestly when I say from 500 to 600 miles。 And their mathematical science as applied to such purpose is so nicely accurate； that on the report of some observer in an air…boat； any member of the vril department can estimate unerringly the nature of intervening obstacles； the height to which the projectile instrument should be raised； and the extent to which it should be charged； so as to reduce to ashes within a space of time too short for me to venture to specify it； a capital twice as vast as London。
Certainly these Ana are wonderful mathematicians… wonderful for the adaptation of the inventive faculty to practical uses。 71 I went with my host and his daughter Zee over the great public museum； which occupies a wing in the College of Sages； and in which are hoarded； as curious specimens of the ignorant and blundering experiments of ancient times； many contrivances on which we pride ourselves as recent achievements。 In one department； carelessly thrown aside as obsolete lumber； are tubes for destroying life by metallic balls and an inflammable powder； on the principle of our cannons and catapults； and even still more murderous than our latest improvements。
My host spoke of these with a smile of contempt； such as an artillery officer might bestow on the bows and arrows of the Chinese。 In another department there were models of vehicles and vessels worked by steam； and of an air…balloon which might have been constructed by Montgolfier。 〃Such；〃 said Zee； with an air of meditative wisdom… 〃such were the feeble triflings with nature of our savage forefathers； ere they had even a glimmering perception of the properties of vril！〃
This young Gy was a magnificent specimen of the muscular force to which the females of her country attain。 Her features were beautiful； like those of all her race： never in the upper world have I seen a face so grand and so faultless； but her devotion to the severer studies had given to her countenance an expression of abstract thought which rendered it somewhat stern when in repose； and such a sternness became formidable when observed in connection with her ample shoulders and lofty stature。 She was tall even for a Gy； and I saw her lift up a can