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departments of intellect。 But then Athens permitted fierce rivalry and
perpetual change； and was certainly not happy。 Rousing myself from the
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reverie into which these reflections had plunged me； I brought back our
talk to the subjects connected with emigration。
〃But；〃 said I； 〃when； I suppose yearly； a certain number among 94you
agree to quit home and found a new community elsewhere； they must
necessarily be very few； and scarcely sufficient； even with the help of the
machines they take with them； to clear the ground； and build towns； and
form a civilised state with the comforts and luxuries in which they had
been reared。〃
〃You mistake。 All the tribes of the Vril…ya are in constant
communication with each other； and settle amongst themselves each year
what proportion of one community will unite with the emigrants of
another； so as to form a state of sufficient size； and the place for
emigration is agreed upon at least a year before； and pioneers sent from
each state to level rocks； and embank waters； and construct houses； so that
when the emigrants at last go； they find a city already made； and a country
around it at least partially cleared。 Our hardy life as children make us
take cheerfully to travel and adventure。 I mean to emigrate myself when
of age。〃
〃Do the emigrants always select places hitherto uninhabited and
barren？〃
〃As yet generally； because it is our rule never to destroy except when
necessary to our well…being。 Of course； we cannot settle in lands already
occupied by the Vril…ya； and if we take the cultivated lands of the other
races of Ana； we must utterly destroy the previous inhabitants。
Sometimes； as it is； we take waste spots； and find that a troublesome；
quarrelsome race of Ana； especially if under the administration of Koom…
Posh or Glek…Nas； resents our vicinity； and picks a quarrel with us； then；
of course； as menacing our welfare； we destroy it： there is no coming to
terms of peace with a race so idiotic that it is always changing the form of
government which represents it。 Koom…Posh；〃 said the child；
emphatically； 〃is bad enough； still it has brains； though at the back of its
head； and is not without a heart； but in Glek…Nas the brain and heart of the
creatures disappear； and they become all jaws； claws； and belly。〃
95〃You express yourself strongly。 Allow me to inform you that I
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myself； and I am proud to say it； am the citizen of a Koom…Posh。〃
〃I no longer；〃 answered Taee； 〃wonder to see you here so far from
your home。 What was the condition of your native community before it
became a Koom…Posh？〃
〃A settlement of emigrants… like those settlements which your tribe
sends forth… but so far unlike your settlements； that it was dependent on
the state from which it came。 It shook off that yoke； and； crowned with
eternal glory； became a Koom…Posh。〃
〃Eternal glory！ How long has the Koom…Posh lasted？〃
〃About 100 years。〃
〃The length of an An's life… a very young community。 In much less
than another 100 years your Koom…Posh will be a Glek…Nas。〃
〃Nay； the oldest states in the world I come from； have such faith in its
duration； that they are all gradually shaping their institutions so as to melt
into ours； and their most thoughtful politicians say that； whether they like
it or not； the inevitable tendency of these old states is towards Koom…
Posh…erie。〃
〃The old states？〃
〃Yes； the old states。〃
〃With populations very small in proportion to the area of productive
land？〃
〃On the contrary； with populations very large in proportion to that
area。〃
〃I see！ old states indeed！… so old as to become drivelling if they don't
pack off that surplus population as we do ours… very old states！… very； very
old！ Pray； Tish； do you think it wise for very old men to try to turn head…
over…heels as very young children do？ And if you ask them why they
attempted such antics； should you not laugh if they answered that by
imitating very young children they could become very young children
themselves？ Ancient history abounds with instances of this sort a great
many thousand years ago… and in every instance a very 96old state that
played at Koom…Posh soon tumbled into Glek…Nas。 Then； in horror of its
own self； it cried out for a master； as an old man in his dotage cries out for
a nurse； and after a succession of masters or nurses； more or less long； that
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very old state died out of history。 A very old state attempting Koom…
Posh…erie is like a very old man who pulls down the house to which he has
been accustomed； but he has so exhausted his vigour in pulling down； that
all he can do in the way of rebuilding is to run up a crazy hut； in which
himself and his successors whine out； 'How the wind blows！ How the
walls shake！'〃
〃My dear Taee； I make all excuse for your unenlightened prejudices；
which every schoolboy educated in a Koom…Posh could easily controvert；
though he might not be so precociously learned in ancient history as you
appear to be。〃
〃I learned！ not a bit of it。 But would a schoolboy； educated in your
Koom…Posh； ask his great…great…grandfather or great…great…grandmother to
stand on his or her head with the feet uppermost？ And if the poor old
folks hesitated… say； 'What do you fear？… see how I do it！'〃
〃Taee； I disdain to argue with a child of your age。 I repeat； I make
allowances for your want of that culture which a Koom…Posh alone can
bestow。〃
〃I； in my turn；〃 answered Taee； with an air of the suave but lofty good
breeding which characterises his race； 〃not only make allowances for you
as not educated among the Vril…ya； but I entreat you to vouchsafe me your
pardon for the insufficient respect to the habits and opinions of so amiable
a Tish！〃
I ought before to have observed that I was commonly called Tish by
my host and his family； as being a polite and indeed a pet name； literally
signifying a small barbarian； the children apply it endearingly to the tame
species of Frog which they keep in their gardens。
We had now reached the banks of a lake； and Taee here paused to
97point out to me the ravages made in fields skirting it。 〃The enemy
certainly lies within these waters；〃 said Taee。 〃Observe what shoals of
fish are crowded together at the margin。 Even the great fishes with the
small ones； who are their habitual prey and who generally shun them； all
forget their instincts in the presence of a common destroyer。 This reptile
certainly must belong to the class of Krek…a； which are more devouring
than any other； and are said to be among the few surviving species of the
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world's dreadest inhabitants before the Ana were created。 The appetite of
a Krek is insatiable… it feeds alike upon vegetable and animal life； but for
the swift…footed creatures of the elk species it is too slow in its movements。
Its favourite dainty is an An when it can catch him unawares； and hence
the Ana destroy it relentlessly whenever it enters their dominion。 I have
heard that when our forefathers first cleared this country； these monsters；
and others like them； abounded； and； vril being then undiscovered； many
of our race were devoured。 It was impossible to exterminate them
wholly till that discovery which constitutes the power and sustains the
civilisation of our race。 But after the uses of vril became familiar to us；
all creatures inimical to us were soon annihilated。