“For my own part,” said Mr. Dow, “there is to me nothing more strange in their discovery, than in that of the Heracleans, now that we have recovered, in a measure, from the first startling effects. It has occurred to me frequently, of late, that there must have been some interior creative object in the gradations of instinct, and ultimate alliance of superhuman intelligence with the highest grade? It is certainly impossible for me to reason myself into the belief that we have been endowed with a perception of goodness, and the necessity of purity for its attainment, to have them dispensed with in life for the substitution of the instinctive greed of selfishness, with the accommodating proviso of repurification by an act of saving grace! Neither can we disguise the fact, that we now think and act quite unlike our former selves, with a sensible improvement in happiness, in freedom from the selfish accessories we formerly thought necessary for its assurance.”
At this point they were interrupted by the entrance of the prætor with his wife and daughter, who came to inquire if M. Hollydorf wished to suggest any change for the better accommodation of his instrument with regard to light? In the expression of his satisfaction, M. Hollydorf alluded not only to the wonderful preservation of the buildings, but furniture, which appeared, in style, to have been coeval in manufacture with the remnants seen in old Heraclea. In explanation the prætor said that it was much easier to preserve from decay than to restore ruins. But the means of preservation had been bestowed by Giganteo XVI., Dosch of the Manatitlans, as a legacy to the sons of Indegatus, associate prætors of Heraclea, who were the first of our race that became personally acquainted with animalculan humanity. “You will find all of the unoccupied houses of the city in like good condition with this, and equally free for your inspection and occupation.”
As the occasion was opportune, M. Hollydorf consulted with those present how he might prepare a statement of the day’s developments sufficiently credible for the acceptable belief of the Home Society? The prætor advised him to defer his cause of perplexity to the Dosch, who would resolve it readily, from a personal knowledge of the characteristic peculiarities of the members of the R. H. B. Society. Then Mr. Dow preferred his petition for their united aid in the advancement of his historical compendium of the Heracleans. This all were pleased to accord, as it was through his indomitable perseverance that the discovery was accomplished, before the City of the Falls had been reduced to the tenantless condition of its senior counterpart. As he was referred to me for special aid in compilation, from his lack of knowledge in the constructive use of the Heraclean idiom,—which was to us personally a source of mutual regret,—it will be well to state in anticipation of a similarity in diction of our separate labors, that I have been in no way beholden to him for the style I have adopted in recording the historiographical account of the corps investigations. I trust that this egoistic explanation will prove sufficient in efficacy to redeem me from plagiaristic odium?
CHAPTER XII.
The prætor and his family, including Cleorita and Oviata Arcos, with the Four, awaited, on the morning succeeding the eventful day of Manito’s animalculan introduction, the coming of the Dosch of Manatitla in the audience chamber of the house, dedicated by Correliana in aptitude to the developing powers of the tympano-microscope, “the auriculum.” After a short delay of expectation, the courier falcon appeared at poise, from which in swift descent it came in downward incline direct to its perch on Correliana’s wrist. But a second elapsed before the tympanum reëchoed in cheery tones of salutation the voice of our expected visitor. Our attention attracted to the field of magnifying reflection, discovered a coterie of animalculans, of nearly the same size, grouped about the speaker. With the salutation, “Afferens scientiam errantes gigantes,” he addressed us as follows:—
For ages untold, our race have waited in patient expectation for the morning’s dawn when they could salute yours face to face, and impart to you a source of happiness that in life realizes communion with immortality. To us has been vouchsafed this coveted privilege, and it shall be our study to improve it to your advantage. Notwithstanding the malapropos accident—casting upon Correliana an arch glance that wrought for her face a scarlet veil—of yesterday, which detracted from the dignity of an introduction so important to the regenerative welfare of your race, we were glad that auspicious mirth was the trophy of the occasion, rather than tears of grief, of which we shall be mindful in adjudging our censure to the cause. Joyous mirth we have esteemed an evidence of goodness, for it declares itself beyond the reach of selfish impediment that breeds evil intention; even when the foibles of our kind become the subjects of humorous provocation. Mirth is ill timed, when preconcerted with a knowledge that a portion of those present will be unable to appreciate the humorous incentive; as it opens wide the door of suspicion with your peoples, who have been educated under the partial sway of national habits and customs. Dissimilarity in habits and customs, under national patronage, begets from seeming incongruity a disposition to gibe with missile retorts, fledged and tipped with ironical sarcasms, as rankling in effect as the pointed weapons in the mouth of Mr. Welson’s knighted chief. To be frank, if the ludicrous scene of yesterday had occurred with matured acquaintance, I should not have spared the demure, but conscious blushes of the fair medium. Our first acquaintance with you, although not mutual in personal recognition, is of older date than yesterday, and upon it has been founded our predilections, which in train have led to the many concurrent circumstances favoring the happy issue of our more direct scheme, devised for the liberation of your race from the pampering trammels of instinct. It would have been quite easy for our first giantescoes to have obtained an introduction to your race, if they had emulated the desire of being exhibited as an iotian monstrosity for the gratification of giga greed and curiosity. But fortunately for our present hoped-for issue, our system of education, devised for the development of affectionate confidence, encouraged the past generations of our race to wait for an opening free from the entailment of experimental disadvantage. A knowledge of our race for the gratification of your scientific savants curiosity, would have been as profitless for good, as their sight-seeing acquaintance with the moon and stars. Our Manatitlan sages have from the earliest period recommended extreme caution to prevent the premature introduction of our race to yours. The favorable indications to be watched for in premonition of a successful issue were those of extreme folly, heralding a closing cycle; for the contrast afforded by the result of our happy example would attract kindly imitation of those inclined to affectionate goodness.
Desideratus, one of our most approved prognosticators, deposed that the affections of woman afford the best test of a closing giga cycle. When frivolity and the gossiping comparisons of vanity gain the ascendency over natural affection, inherent as the birthright of woman, then you may know that the symbolic serpent’s tail has received its final circle inclination for union with the mouth. This inclination was foreshadowed in the eighteenth century, with invention of power looms; which with the largely increased acceleration of steam, fabricated in excess of the world’s actual requirements for healthy protection and comely adornment. With steam as an inductive aid to civilized progression, the Eugenic era was ushered in, when the frail mortal tenements of women became subject to empirical vanity, and in rivalry, the standard-bearers for cumbersome mechanical products, to the utter perversion of healthy elasticity, comfort, and their special vocation of fostering for immortality affectionate goodness. This dereliction of giga women from their manifest duty, has brought in train domestic and dynastic miseries, while from dreary self conviction their hopeless prospect closes with the grave. As we have now adventured the only opportunity that has ever occurred, with a prospect of success, for extending the influence of our happy experience to your race, we will with our introduction premise a description of Our Country.
Manatitla is situated in the Andean district of La Plata, with a southern aspect. It occupies a space between the parallels of 20° 40˝ and 30° south latitude and 40° 50° west longitude, embracing an area of forty square furlongs, of Manatitlan measurement. Its surface is diversified, combining in well-defined variety mountains, hills, and vales, with their concomitant streams, lakes, and brooks; affording with arable advantages, prospects unrivaled in beauty, which have been enhanced by the grateful labor of its inhabitants in acknowledgment for the benefits bestowed. The climate is salubrious and free from the extremes of heat and cold, having a valley altitude varying but little from six thousand feet above the estuary of the La Plata. The adjacent country is occupied by the giga and animalculan wild hordes. The Minim is the largest river. Its source is derived from Lake Areta, located in the Andean spur of Ultisimma; flowing in a northeasterly direction it finally becomes tributary to the Vermejo. On the northwestern bank is situated our chief city, Maniculæ. Forty of our miles below, on the same bank, is situated the City of Iota, containing twenty thousand inhabitants. Nearly opposite the last named city, is the town of Speck, its inhabitants, in transition, being chiefly occupied in the manufacture of auro-silicate for edificial construction and textile fabrics, rendering them indestructible and repulsive to cumulative adhesion. The entire population of Manatitla is estimated at eighteen millions, with a healthy tendency to a continued rapid decrease in number, from causes which will be described hereafter.
The Traditional History of Manatitla, is coeval with the imaginary date of Mauna Che’s advent as a deity from the La Plata into Alta Peru, reaching in your time measurement to eleven thousand years, which probably embraces relics of truth, among others a like origin with the Heracleans; as we are without doubt descended from castaway parasites of gigas from the eastern continent. But as it is a constant repetition of acts of oppression, in kind with your classical written history, we will not shock you with their rehearsal.