Inez—Within a half hour I have returned from a visit to Valloa̤. Save that her vital energy gradually decreases, and her Spirit vision grows clearer the situation is unchanged.
De L'Ester—Then while we await—I should say that we shall remain here for an hour, and you, Von Humboldt, kindly will occupy the time by replying to Gentola̤'s question of yesterday.
Von Humboldt—Madame, in replying to your question, relating to a remark of mine, concerning a race of comparatively diminutive Entoans, I shall include other of your unanswered questions. The poles of Planets inclined as are those of Ento and Earth receive comparatively a small amount of solar heat, hence, the crust surrounding the poles of either newly formed Planet, cooled and thickened at an earlier period than did areas nearer their equators. In time the areas known to us as the north and south temperate zones of either Planet became fitted for the germination and habitations of earliest life-forms, which as you are aware first appeared in the tepid waters of the new worlds. Man, being a warm blooded animal, in early ages on either Planet, his natural habitat was in their warmer divisions, which in the fullness of time became suited for the entertainment of the evolved, Spiritualized human, who through succeeding exigencies of existence, has learned to adjust himself to manifold conditions which may apply to the race under consideration who, since a remote time, have occupied localities extending from the southern limit of Ento's south temperate zone, to near the south pole. Owing to the rigor of the climate, and their occupation of mining, their habitations, like those of all Ento polar peoples, are subterranean and very comfortable and attractive abodes they are. Climatic conditions somewhat incline this race to an indulgence in flesh food, which with the products of all lands, Air Transports abundantly supply them. The summers of Ento's arctic and antarctic circles being, what may be termed, phenomenally mild, in the spring the released waters of the polar regions teem with myriad life forms upon which the diminutive Da̤hova̤s and their polar neighbors largely subsist. In those antarctic localities are vast deposits of precious and other minerals, and of various gems, all of which find disposition in the marts of the Ento world. Notwithstanding their inhospitable climatic surroundings, the Da̤hova̤s number some millions of educated, refined persons, whose occupation in no way interferes with their social standing. The fair-skinned, blond-haired, blue-eyed persons whom frequently you have observed were Da̤hova̤s, who are greatly inclined to travel, the facilities of Air Transportation encouraging them in their desire for change of scene. Their average height is about six feet, and they are a handsome featured and finely proportioned race. The average height of other fair-skinned Ento races is about six feet ten inches, which is quite one foot less than that of the dark-hued Orientals, of whom our friends, Inidora̤ and Genessano are examples. Yes, it appears singular that, though genial climes invite them elsewhere, humans submit themselves to such inhospitable environments; but, in their affairs force of circumstances and an inclination for certain pursuits or gains are forceful potencies. The natural tendency of the genus homo is away from, not toward, inclement regions, but through upheavals or subsidences of portions of planets, or perhaps through the fortunes of wars, surviving peoples, in opposition to tendencies and desires, may be compelled to submit to the unavoidable.
You have expressed surprise over the absence of social distinctions among the Entoans, who consider labor of whatever kind as elevating. Very properly they regard idleness as a species of crime against the common weal, and only when incapacitated, do either men or women cease to labor either with head or hands. They understand that all well balanced minds require a certain amount of active occupation, and that idleness induces pernicious conduct. One of their aphorisms is, to labor righteously is to emulate the example of the ever active Deific Ones, and I quite agree with them. If instead of the yearly expenditure of millions of money for the maintenance of armies of men engaged in murdering each other, and for the erection and support of prisons, reformatories, almshouses and the like, Earth's several governments would, as does the government of Ento, oblige every able-bodied man and woman to engage in some useful occupation, how quickly would poverty, degradation and discontent disappear and the wealth now worse than wasted would produce great and beneficent public utilities, would erect and maintain majestic institutions for the free education of all peoples, would supply elevating amusements for the masses, and also would construct and maintain public baths, gymnasiums, excellent roadways, in short, all the admirable features of the civilization of Ento, which yet is but a promise of a higher, grander civilization of a coming time.
No, we have not found any planet overpopulated. When sufficiently evolved, humans elevate the offices of paternity and maternity above the merely animal plane; then children are not inconsiderately begotten. You may not have observed that, in Ento families, seldom are there more than four children; generally there are no more than two.
Yes, certainly, a period will arrive when Earth's peoples will have advanced far beyond their present uncivilized condition. Really civilized peoples do not murder each other, do not in any manner wilfully injure each other. Though one person's opinions may differ from those of another, civilized peoples do not, for that reason, fly at each other's throats. Everywhere civilized peoples do as they wish others to do unto them. So you may perceive that even Earth's most advanced peoples have not wholly emerged from barbarism; no, not even those who pompously profess to follow the precepts of Earth's Divinest Teacher, the meek and lowly Nazarene, have arrived at a clear perception of what constitutes Christian or other civilization, else they, too, would be so meek and lowly as to shrink from attempting to force upon others their very crude beliefs and superstitious observances. Yes, like all freed spirits, I have found occasions to change my views, and to endeavor to outgrow my errors.
Unlooked for occurrences having brought about changes in our programme, for the present we must forego the pleasure of showing you and Bernard certain interesting portions of Ento's South Temperate and Antarctic regions; but we anticipate that this slight mention of some of the inhabitants of Antarctica may stimulate in you a desire for future exploration in their direction. I yet have some moments I may devote to you.
Gentola—Then will you inform me as to the origin of the Eskimos and other polar races of our planet? Are they direct descendants of a primitive ancestry.
Von Humboldt—Neither the Eskimos or other polar peoples are direct descendants of primitive man. Of course, all peoples, indirectly, are descendants of early races, whose low, retreating foreheads, misshapen forms and features offered slight promise of evolvement into the shapely humans of to-day. Though the Eskimo is somewhat uncouth of form and feature, compared with primitive man he is a God. Are you aware that when primitive men first essayed to walk erect they used as a means of support and for offense and defense, clubs, which to this day are perpetuated in the staff or walking stick? As the feat of walking erect is accomplished through a series of threatened falls and accomplished recoveries, primitive men do not in a day learn to walk unaided, and from the period when through infoldment of the Divine Spark man becomes a conscious, living soul, until unaided he walks erect, time may be reckoned by ages. Yes, in a sense, all humans are descendants of primitive races, but so far removed from their primitive ancestry, that the fact is unrealizable. No, madame, in no sense is the human related to the anthropoidal races. Through environment and survival of the fittest, all life forms continuously evolve and re-evolve into higher expression, but man alone is capable of becoming Spiritualized. Constantly the positive law of evolution impels all life forms onward and upward toward higher planes of existence; it is quite as true that the little less forceful negative law of degeneracy is a perpetual obstacle and menace to human advancement. By some of Earth's advanced thinkers these opposing laws are recognized, filling their minds with disquiet and apprehension for those who, besotted by the love of power and luxury, are approaching the line of demarcation between progress and degeneracy.
Madame, the Eskimos and other peoples of Earth's frigid regions are descendants of races once of vast numbers, who, in an early age, inhabited the then temperate northern and southern climes; but Earth's crust cooling, thickening and radiating an ever lessening degree of internal heat, its great fiery heart could not perpetually vivify its extremities, and at the poles gradually ice and snow accumulated, the preponderant accumulation being at the North Pole. Slowly, but surely, human and animal races were impelled toward the equator, multiplying prodigiously, and warring upon each other with ferocity indescribable. Your scientists have not yet declared the certain existence of preglacial man, thus my assertion that Earth has experienced two glacial horrors, and that previous to the last one the genus homo was distributed over nearly all portions of the inhabitable globe is not likely to be received as a conclusive statement, which however is a correct one. It also is true that the survivors of the catastrophe were as mariners cast upon unknown shores, for they and other life forms experienced such a redistribution that your ethnologists and naturalists are unable to solve some problems which, on passing to the Spirit side, will be made plain to them. The remote progenitors of the Eskimos and other peoples of the frigid north and south were survivors of the awful calamity which swept out of physical existence entire races of humans and many species of animal and vegetable life. Gradually, through isolation and extreme privations, the descendants of those remote ancestors experienced nearly arrested mental and physical development, and until comparatively a recent period, they were as lost members of the human family. Through inherited qualities and long usage they are so inured to their wretched condition that to a degree they do not realize its discomforts; but steadily advancing agencies are approaching their lands, and at a not very remote period their present inhabitants will have disappeared, and for the same reason that Ento's polar regions are, I may say, well populated, ere long Earth's polar regions will sustain a large number of inhabitants.