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Flatland。 Even to Women and Soldiers should the Gospel of Three
Dimensions be proclaimed。 I would begin with my Wife。
Just as I had decided on the plan of my operations； I heard the sound
of many voices in the street commanding silence。 Then followed a louder
voice。 It was a herald's proclamation。 Listening attentively； I recognized
the words of the Resolution of the Council； enjoining the arrest；
imprisonment； or execution of any one who should pervert the minds of
people by delusions； and by professing to have received revelations from
another World。
I reflected。 This danger was not to be trifled with。 It would be better to
avoid it by omitting all mention of my Revelation； and by proceeding on
the path of Demonstrationwhich after all； seemed so simple and so
conclusive that nothing would be lost by discarding the former means。
〃Upward； not Northward〃was the clue to the whole proof。 It had seemed
to me fairly clear before I fell asleep； and when I first awoke； fresh from
my dream； it had appeared as patent as Arithmetic； but somehow it did not
seem to me quite so obvious now。 Though my Wife entered the room
opportunely at just that moment； I decided； after we had exchanged a few
words of commonplace conversation； not to begin with her。
My Pentagonal Sons were men of character and standing； and
physicians of no mean reputation； but not great in mathematics； and； in
that respect； unfit for my purpose。 But it occurred to me that a young and
docile Hexagon； with a mathematical turn； would be a most suitable pupil。
Why therefore not make my first experiment with my little precocious
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Grandson； whose casual remarks on the meaning of three…to…the…third had
met with the approval of the Sphere？ Discussing the matter with him； a
mere boy； I should be in perfect safety； for he would know nothing of the
Proclamation of the Council； whereas I could not feel sure that my Sons
so greatly did their patriotism and reverence for the Circles predominate
over mere blind affection might not feel compelled to hand me over to
the Prefect； if they found me seriously maintaining the seditious heresy of
the Third Dimension。
But the first thing to be done was to satisfy in some way the curiosity
of my Wife； who naturally wished to know something of the reasons for
which the Circle had desired that mysterious interview； and of the means
by which he had entered the house。 Without entering into the details of the
elaborate account I gave her；an account； I fear； not quite so consistent
with truth as my Readers in Spaceland might desire；I must be content
with saying that I succeeded at last in persuading her to return quietly to
her household duties without eliciting from me any reference to the World
of Three Dimensions。 This done； I immediately sent for my Grandson； for；
to confess the truth； I felt that all that I had seen and heard was in some
strange way slipping away from me； like the image of a half…grasped；
tantalizing dream； and I longed to essay my skill in making a first disciple。
When my Grandson entered the room I carefully secured the door。
Then； sitting down by his side and taking our mathematical tablets； or； as
you would call them； LinesI told him we would resume the lesson of
yesterday。 I taught him once more how a Point by motion in One
Dimension produces a Line； and how a straight Line in Two Dimensions
produces a Square。 After this； forcing a laugh； I said； 〃And now； you
scamp； you wanted to make believe that a Square may in the same way by
motion ‘Upward； not Northward' produce another figure； a sort of extra
square in Three Dimensions。 Say that again； you young rascal。〃
At this moment we heard once more the herald's 〃O yes！ O yes！〃
outside in the street proclaiming the REsolution of the Council。 Young
though he was； my Grandsonwho was unusually intelligent for his age；
and bred up in perfect reverence for the authority of the Circlestook in
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the situation with an acuteness for which I was quite unprepared。 He
remained silent till the last words of the Proclamation had died away； and
then； bursting into tears； 〃Dear Grandpapa；〃 he said； 〃that was only my fun；
and of course I meant nothing at all by it； and we did not know anything
then about the new Law； and I don't think I said anything about the Third
Dimension； and I am sure I did not say one word about ‘Upward； not
Northward；' for that would be such nonsense； you know。 How could a
thing move Upward； and not Northward？ Upward and not Northward！
Even if I were a baby； I could not be so absurd as that。 How silly it is！ Ha！
ha！ ha！〃 〃Not at all silly；〃 said I； losing my temper； 〃here for example； I
take this Square；〃 and； at the word； I grasped a moveable Square； which
was lying at hand〃and I move it； you see； not Northward but yes； I
move it Upwardthat is to say； Northward but I move it somewherenot
exactly like this； but somehow 〃 Here I brought my sentence to an inane
conclusion； shaking the Square about in a purposeless manner； much to the
amusement of my Grandson； who burst out laughing louder than ever； and
declared that I was not teaching him； but joking with him； and so saying
he unlocked the door and ran out of the room。 Thus ended my first attempt
to convert a pupil to the Gospel of Three Dimensions。
SECTION 22 How I then tried to diffuse the
Theory of Three Dimensions by other means； and of
the result
My failure with my Grandson did not encourage me to communicate
my secret to others of my household； yet neither was I led by it to despair
of success。 Only I saw that I must not wholly rely on the catch…phrase；
〃Upward； not Northward；〃 but must rather endeavour to seek a
demonstration by setting before the public a clear view of the whole
subject； and for this purpose it seemed necessary to resort to writing。
So I devoted several months in privacy to the composition of a treatise