h trivial contrivances as wings； which every schoolboy knows has been tried and found wanting； from the mythical or pre…historical period； I proceed to that very delicate question； urged of late as essential to the perfect happiness of our human species by the two most disturbing and potential influences on upper…ground society；… Womankind and Philosophy。 I mean； the Rights of Women。
Now； it is allowed by jurisprudists that it is idle to talk of rights where there are not corresponding powers to enforce 144them； and above ground； for some reason or other； man； in his physical force； in the use of weapons offensive and defensive； when it come to positive personal contest； can； as a rule of general application； master women。 But among this people there can be no doubt about the rights of women； because； as I have before said； the Gy； physically speaking； is bigger and stronger than the An； and her will being also more resolute than his； and will being essential to the direction of the vril force； she can bring to bear upon him； more potently than he on herself； the mystical agency which art can extract from the occult properties of nature。 Therefore all that our female philosophers above ground contend for as to rights of women； is conceded as a matter of course in this happy commonwealth。 Besides such physical powers； the Gy…ei have （at least in youth） a keen desire for accomplishments and learning which exceeds that of the male； and thus they are the scholars； the professors… the learned portion； in short； of the community。
Of course； in this state of society the female establishes； as I have shown； her most valued privilege； that of choosing and courting her wedding partner。 Without that privilege she would despise all the others。 Now； above ground； we should not unreasonably apprehend that a female； thus potent and thus privileged； when she had fairly hunted us down and married us； would be very imperious and tyrannical。 Not so with the Gy…ei： once married； the wings once suspended； and more amiable； complacent； docile mates； more sympathetic； more sinking their loftier capacities into the study of their husbands' comparatively frivolous tastes and whims； no poet could conceive in his visions of conjugal bliss。 Lastly； among the more important characteristics of the Vril…ya； as distinguished from our mankind… lastly； and most important on the bearings of their life and the peace of their commonwealths； is their universal agreement in the existence of a merciful beneficent Diety； and of a future world to the duration of which a century 145or two are moments too brief to waste upon thoughts of fame and power and avarice； while with that agreement is combined another… viz。； since they can know nothing as to the nature of that Diety beyond the fact of His supreme goodness； nor of that future world beyond the fact of its felicitous existence； so their reason forbids all angry disputes on insoluble questions。 Thus they secure for that state in the bowels of the earth what no community ever secured under the light of the stars… all the blessings and consolations of a religion without any of the evils and calamities which are engendered by strife between one religion and another。
It would be； then； utterly impossible to deny that the state of existence among the Vril…ya is thus； as a whole； immeasurably more felicitous than that of super…terrestrial races； and； realising the dreams of our most sanguine philanthropists； almost approaches to a poet's conception of some angelical order。 And yet； if you would take a thousand of the best and most philosophical of human beings you could find in London； Paris； Berlin； New York； or even Boston； and place them as citizens in the beatified community； my belief is； that in less than a year they would either die of ennui； or attempt some revolution by which they would militate against the good of the community； and be burnt into cinders at the request of the Tur。
Certainly I have no desire to insinuate； through the medium of this narrative； any ignorant disparagement of the race to which I belong。 I have； on the contrary； endeavoured to make it clear that the principles which regulate the social system of the Vril…ya forbid them to produce those individual examples of human greatness which adorn the annals of the upper world。 Where there are no wars there can be no Hannibal； no Washington； no Jackson； no Sheridan；… where states are so happy that they fear no danger and desire no change； they cannot give birth to a Demosthenes； a Webster； a Sumner； a Wendell Holmes； or a Butler； and where a society attains to a moral standard； 146in which there are no crimes and no sorrows from which tragedy can extract its aliment of pity and sorrow； no salient vices or follies on which comedy can lavish its mirthful satire； it has lost the chance of producing a Shakespeare； or a Moliere； or a Mrs。 Beecher…Stowe。 But if I have no desire to disparage my fellow…men above ground in showing how much the motives that impel the energies and ambition of individuals in a society of contest and struggle… become dormant or annulled in a society which aims at securing for the aggregate the calm and innocent felicity which we presume to be the lot of beatified immortals； neither； on the other hand； have I the wish to represent the commonwealths of the Vril…ya as an ideal form of political society； to the attainment of which our own efforts of reform should be directed。 On the contrary； it is because we have so combined； throughout the series of ages； the elements which compose human character； that it would be utterly impossible for us to adopt the modes of life； or to reconcile our passions to the modes of thought among the Vril…ya；… that I arrived at the conviction that this people… though originally not only of our human race； but； as seems to me clear by the roots of their language； descended from the same ancestors as the Great Aryan family； from which in varied streams has flowed the dominant civilisation of the world； and having； according to their myths and their history； passed through phases of society familiar to ourselves；… had yet now developed into a distinct species with which it was impossible that any community in the upper world could amalgamate： and that if they ever emerged from these nether recesses into the light of day； they would； according to their own traditional persuasions of their ultimate destiny； destroy and replace our existent varieties of man。
It may； indeed； be said； since more than one Gy could be found to conceive a partiality for so ordinary a type of our super…terrestrial race as myself； that even if the Vril…ya did 147appear above ground； we might be saved from extermination by intermixture of race。 But this is too sanguine a belief。 Instances of such 'mesalliance' would be as rare as those of intermarriage between the Anglo…Saxon emigrants and the Red Indians。 Nor would time be allowed for the operation of familiar intercourse。 The Vril…ya； on emerging； induced by the charm of a sunlit heaven to form their settlements above ground； would commence at once the work of destruction； seize upon the territories already cultivated； and clear off； without scruple； all the inhabitants who resisted that invasion。 And considering their contempt for the institutions of Koom…Posh or Popular Government； and the pugnacious valour of my beloved countrymen； I believe that if the Vril…ya first appeared in free America… as； being the choicest portion of the habitable earth； they would doubtless be induced to do… and said； 〃This quarter of the globe we take； Citizens of a Koom…Posh； make way for the development of species in the Vril…ya；〃 my brave compatriots would show fight； and not a soul of them would be left in this life； to rally round the Stars and Stripes； at the end of a week。
I now saw but little of Zee； save at meals； when the family assembled； and she was then reserved and silent。 My apprehensions of danger from an affection I had so little encouraged or deserved； therefore； now faded away； but my dejection continued to increase。 I pined for escape to the upper world； but I racked my brains in vain for any means to effect it。 I was never permitted to wander forth alone； so that I could not even visit the spot on which I had alighted； and see if it were possible to reascend to the mine。 Nor even in the Silent Hours； when the household was locked in sleep； could I have let myself down from the lofty floor in which my apartment was placed。 I knew not how to command the automata who stood mockingly at my beck beside the wall； nor could I ascertain the springs by which were set in movement the platforms that supplied the place of stairs。 The knowledge how 148to avail myself of these contrivances had been purposely withheld from me。 Oh； that I could but have learned the use of wings； so freely here at the service of every infant； then I might have escaped from the casement； regained the rocks； and buoyed myself aloft through the chasm of which the perpendicular sides forbade place for human footing！
Chapter XXVII。
One day； as I sat alone and brooding in my chamber； Taee flew in at the open window and alighted on the couch beside me。 I was always pleased