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utterance by which we colourless Squares and Pentagons are often forced
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to proclaim our individuality when we move amid a crowd of ignorant
Isosceles。
The fashion spread like wildfire。 Before a week was over； every
Square and Triangle in the district had copied the example of Chromatistes；
and only a few of the more conservative Pentagons still held out。 A month
or two found even the Dodecagons infected with the innovation。 A year
had not elapsed before the habit had spread to all but the very highest of
the Nobility。 Needless to say； the custom soon made its way from the
district of Chromatistes to surrounding regions； and within two
generations no one in all Flatland was colourless except the Women and
the Priests。
Here Nature herself appeared to erect a barrier； and to plead against
extending the innovations to these two classes。 Many… sidedness was
almost essential as a pretext for the Innovators。 〃Distinction of sides is
intended by Nature to imply distinction of colours〃such was the sophism
which in those days flew from mouth to mouth； converting whole towns at
a time to a new culture。 But manifestly to our Priests and Women this
adage did not apply。 The latter had only one side； and thereforeplurally
and pedantically speakingNO SIDES。 The formerif at least they would
assert their claim to be readily and truly Circles； and not mere high…class
Polygons； with an infinitely large number of infinitesimally small sides
were in the habit of boasting （what Women confessed and deplored） that
they also had no sides； being blessed with a perimeter of only one line； or；
in other words； a Circumference。 Hence it came to pass that these two
Classes could see no force in the so…called axiom about 〃Distinction of
Sides implying Distinction of Colour；〃 and when all others had
succumbed to the fascinations of corporal decoration； the Priests and the
Women alone still remained pure from the pollution of paint。
Immoral； licentious； anarchical； unscientificcall them by what names
you willyet； from an aesthetic point of view； those ancient days of the
Colour Revolt were the glorious childhood of Art in Flatland a childhood；
alas； that never ripened into manhood； nor even reached the blossom of
youth。 To live then in itself a delight； because living implied seeing。 Even
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at a small party； the company was a pleasure to behold； the richly varied
hues of the assembly in a church or theatre are said to have more than
once proved too distracting from our greatest teachers and actors； but most
ravishing of all is said to have been the unspeakable magnificence of a
military review。
The sight of a line of battle of twenty thousand Isosceles suddenly
facing about； and exchanging the sombre black of their bases for the
orange of the two sides including their acute angle； the militia of the
Equilateral Triangles tricoloured in red； white； and blue； the mauve； ultra…
marine； gamboge； and burnt umber of the Square artillerymen rapidly
rotating near their vermillion guns； the dashing and flashing of the five…
coloured and six…coloured Pentagons and Hexagons careering across the
field in their offices of surgeons； geometricians and aides…de…campall
these may well have been sufficient to render credible the famous story
how an illustrious Circle； overcome by the artistic beauty of the forces
under his command； threw aside his marshal's baton and his royal crown；
exclaiming that he henceforth exchanged them for the artist's pencil。 How
great and glorious the sensuous development of these days must have been
is in part indicated by the very language and vocabulary of the period。 The
commonest utterances of the commonest citizens in the time of the Colour
Revolt seem to have been suffused with a richer tinge of word or thought；
and to that era we are even now indebted for our finest poetry and for
whatever rhythm still remains in the more scientific utterance of those
modern days。
SECTION 9 Of the Universal Colour Bill
But meanwhile the intellectual Arts were fast decaying。
The Art of Sight Recognition； being no longer needed； was no longer
practised； and the studies of Geometry； Statics； Kinetics； and other kindred
subjects； came soon to be considered superfluous； and feel into disrespect
and neglect even at our University。 The inferior Art of Feeling speedily
experienced the same fate at our Elementary Schools。 Then the Isosceles
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classes； asserting that the Specimens were no longer used nor needed； and
refusing to pay the customary tribute from the Criminal classes to the
service of Education； waxed daily more numerous and more insolent on
the strength of their immunity from the old burden which had formerly
exercised the twofold wholesome effect of at once taming their brutal
nature and thinning their excessive numbers。
Year by year the Soldiers and Artisans began more vehemently to
assertand with increasing truththat there was no great difference
between them and the very highest class of Polygons； now that they were
raised to an equality with the latter； and enabled to grapple with all the
difficulties and solve all the problems of life； whether Statical or Kinetical；
by the simple process of Colour Recognition。 Not content with the natural
neglect into which Sight Recognition was falling； they began boldly to
demand the legal prohibition of all 〃monopolizing and aristocratic Arts〃
and the consequent abolition of all endowments for the studies of Sight
Recognition； Mathematics； and Feeling。 Soon； they began to insist that
inasmuch as Colour； which was a second Nature； had destroyed the need
of aristocratic distinctions； the Law should fol