The Collected Works of Edwin A. Abbott

Table of Contents

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

Edwin A. Abbott (1838-1926. English scholar, theologian, and writer.)

To The Inhabitants of SPACE IN GENERAL And H. C. IN PARTICULAR This Work is Dedicated By a Humble Native of Flatland In the Hope that Even as he was Initiated into the Mysteries Of THREE Dimensions Having been previously conversant With ONLY TWO So the Citizens of that Celestial Region May aspire yet higher and higher To the Secrets of FOUR FIVE OR EVEN SIX Dimensions Thereby contributing To the Enlargement of THE IMAGINATION And the possible Development Of that most rare and excellent Gift of MODESTY Among the Superior Races Of SOLID HUMANITY

Preface to the Second and Revised Edition, 1884.

By the Editor

CONTENTS:

PART I: THIS WORLD

PART II: OTHER WORLDS

PART I: THIS WORLD

"Be patient, for the world is broad and wide."

Section 1. Of the Nature of Flatland

Section 2. Of the Climate and Houses in Flatland

Section 3. Concerning the Inhabitants of Flatland

Section 4. Concerning the Women

Section 5. Of our Methods of Recognizing one another

Section 6. Of Recognition by Sight

Section 7. Concerning Irregular Figures

Section 8. Of the Ancient Practice of Painting

Section 9. Of the Universal Colour Bill

Section 10. Of the Suppression of the Chromatic Sedition

Section 11. Concerning our Priests

Section 12. Of the Doctrine of our Priests

PART II: OTHER WORLDS

"O brave new worlds, that have such people in them!"

Section 13. How I had a Vision of Lineland

Section 14. How I vainly tried to explain the nature of Flatland

Section 15. Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland

Section 16. How the Stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland

Section 17. How the Sphere, having in vain tried words, resorted to deeds

Section 18. How I came to Spaceland, and what I saw there

Section 19. How, though the Sphere shewed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desired more; and what came of it

Section 20. How the Sphere encouraged me in a Vision

Section 21. How I tried to teach the Theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson, and with what success

Section 22. How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and of the result

HOW TO WRITE CLEARLY.

FLATLAND

CONTENTS

PART I THIS WORLD

FLATLAND

PART I THIS WORLD

§ 1.—Of the Nature of Flatland.

§ 2.—Of the climate and houses in Flatland.

§ 3.—Concerning the Inhabitants of Flatland.

§ 4.—Concerning the Women.

§ 5.—Of our methods of recognizing one another.

§ 6.—Of Recognition by Sight.

§ 7.—Of Irregular Figures.

§ 8.—Of the Ancient Practice of Painting.

§ 9.—Of the Universal Colour Bill.

§ 10.—Of the Suppression of the Chromatic Sedition.

§ 11.—Concerning our Priests.

§ 12.—Of the Doctrine of our Priests.

PART II OTHER WORLDS

PART II OTHER LANDS

§ 13.—How I had a Vision of Lineland.

§ 14.—How I vainly tried to explain the nature of Flatland.

§ 15.—Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland.

§ 16.—How the Stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland.

§ 17.—How the Sphere, having in vain tried words, resorted to deeds.

§ 18.—How I came to Spaceland, and what I saw there.

§ 19.—How, though the Sphere showed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desired more; and what came of it.

§ 20.—How the Sphere encouraged me in a Vision.

§ 21.—How I tried to teach the theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson, and with what success.

§ 22.—How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and of the result.

Footnotes

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

Edwin A. Abbott (1838-1926.

English scholar, theologian, and writer.)

To

The Inhabitants of SPACE IN GENERAL

And H. C. IN PARTICULAR

This Work is Dedicated

By a Humble Native of Flatland

In the Hope that

Even as he was Initiated into the Mysteries

Of THREE Dimensions

Having been previously conversant

With ONLY TWO

So the Citizens of that Celestial Region

May aspire yet higher and higher

To the Secrets of FOUR FIVE OR EVEN SIX Dimensions

Thereby contributing

To the Enlargement of THE IMAGINATION

And the possible Development

Of that most rare and excellent Gift of MODESTY

Among the Superior Races

Of SOLID HUMANITY

Preface to the Second and Revised Edition, 1884.

By the Editor

If my poor Flatland friend retained the vigour of mind which he enjoyed when he began to compose these Memoirs, I should not now need to represent him in this preface, in which he desires, firstly, to return his thanks to his readers and critics in Spaceland, whose appreciation has, with unexpected celerity, required a second edition of his work; secondly, to apologize for certain errors and misprints (for which, however, he is not entirely responsible); and, thirdly, to explain one or two misconceptions. But he is not the Square he once was. Years of imprisonment, and the still heavier burden of general incredulity and mockery, have combined with the natural decay of old age to erase from his mind many of the thoughts and notions, and much also of the terminology, which he acquired during his short stay in Spaceland. He has, therefore, requested me to reply in his behalf to two special objections, one of an intellectual, the other of a moral nature.

The first objection is, that a Flatlander, seeing a Line, sees something that must be THICK to the eye as well as LONG to the eye (otherwise it would not be visible, if it had not some thickness); and consequently he ought (it is argued) to acknowledge that his countrymen are not only long and broad, but also (though doubtless in a very slight degree) THICK or HIGH. This objection is plausible, and, to Spacelanders, almost irresistible, so that, I confess, when I first heard it, I knew not what to reply. But my poor old friend's answer appears to me completely to meet it.

"I admit," said he—when I mentioned to him this objection—"I admit the truth of your critic's facts, but I deny his conclusions. It is true that we have really in Flatland a Third unrecognized Dimension called 'height', just as it is also true that you have really in Spaceland a Fourth unrecognized Dimension, called by no name at present, but which I will call 'extra-height'. But we can no more take cognizance of our 'height' than you can of your 'extra-height'. Even I—who have been in Spaceland, and have had the privilege of understanding for twenty-four hours the meaning of 'height'—even I cannot now comprehend it, nor realize it by the sense of sight or by any process of reason; I can but apprehend it by faith.

"The reason is obvious. Dimension implies direction, implies measurement, implies the more and the less. Now, all our lines are EQUALLY and INFINITESIMALLY thick (or high, whichever you like); consequently, there is nothing in them to lead our minds to the conception of that Dimension. No 'delicate micrometer'—as has been suggested by one too hasty Spaceland critic—would in the least avail us; for we should not know WHAT TO MEASURE, NOR IN WHAT DIRECTION. When we see a Line, we see something that is long and BRIGHT; BRIGHTNESS, as well as length, is necessary to the existence of a Line; if the brightness vanishes, the Line is extinguished. Hence, all my Flatland friends—when I talk to them about the unrecognized Dimension which is somehow visible in a Line—say, 'Ah, you mean BRIGHTNESS': and when I reply, 'No, I mean a real Dimension', they at once retort, 'Then measure it, or tell us in what direction it extends'; and this silences me, for I can do neither. Only yesterday, when the Chief Circle (in other words our High Priest) came to inspect the State Prison and paid me his seventh annual visit, and when for the seventh time he put me the question, 'Was I any better?' I tried to prove to him that he was 'high', as well as long and broad, although he did not know it. But what was his reply? 'You say I am "high"; measure my "high-ness" and I will believe you.' What could I do? How could I meet his challenge? I was crushed; and he left the room triumphant.

"Does this still seem strange to you? Then put yourself in a similar position. Suppose a person of the Fourth Dimension, condescending to visit you, were to say, 'Whenever you open your eyes, you see a Plane (which is of Two Dimensions) and you INFER a Solid (which is of Three); but in reality you also see (though you do not recognize) a Fourth Dimension, which is not colour nor brightness nor anything of the kind, but a true Dimension, although I cannot point out to you its direction, nor can you possibly measure it.' What would you say to such a visitor? Would not you have him locked up? Well, that is my fate: and it is as natural for us Flatlanders to lock up a Square for preaching the Third Dimension, as it is for you Spacelanders to lock up a Cube for preaching the Fourth. Alas, how strong a family likeness runs through blind and persecuting humanity in all Dimensions! Points, Lines, Squares, Cubes, Extra-Cubes—we are all liable to the same errors, all alike the Slaves of our respective Dimensional prejudices, as one of your Spaceland poets has said—

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!