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scale； the process of discriminating and being discriminated by hearing
increases in difficulty； partly because voices are assimilated； partly
because the faculty of voice…discrimination is a plebeian virtue not much
developed among the Aristocracy。 And wherever there is any danger of
imposture we cannot trust to this method。 Amongst our lowest orders； the
vocal organs are developed to a degree more than correspondent with
those of hearing； so that an Isosceles can easily feign the voice of a
Polygon； and； with some training； that of a Circle himself。 A second
method is therefore more commonly resorted to。
FEELING is； among our Women and lower classesabout our upper
classes I shall speak presentlythe principal test of recognition； at all
events between strangers； and when the question is； not as to the
individual； but as to the class。 What therefore 〃introduction〃 is among the
higher classes in Spaceland； that the process of 〃feeling〃 is with us。
〃Permit me to ask you to feel and be felt by my friend Mr。 So…and…so〃is
still； among the more old…fashioned of our country gentlemen in districts
remote from towns； the customary formula for a Flatland introduction。 But
in the towns； and among men of business； the words 〃be felt by〃 are
omitted and the sentence is abbreviated to； 〃Let me ask you to feel Mr。 So…
and…so〃； although it is assumed； of course； that the 〃feeling〃 is to be
reciprocal。 Among our still more modern and dashing young gentlemen
who are extremely averse to superfluous effort and supremely indifferent
to the purity of their native languagethe formula is still further curtailed
by the use of 〃to feel〃 in a technical sense； meaning； 〃to recommend…for…
the…purposes…of…feeling…and…being…felt〃； and at this moment the 〃slang〃 of
polite or fast society in the upper classes sanctions such a barbarism as
〃Mr。 Smith； permit me to feel Mr。 Jones。〃 Let not my Reader however
suppose that 〃feeling〃 is with us the tedious process that it would be with
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you； or that we find it necessary to feel right round all the sides of every
individual before we determine the class to which he belongs。 Long
practice and training； begun in the schools and continued in the experience
of daily life； enable us to discriminate at once by the sense of touch；
between the angles of an equal…sided Triangle； Square； and Pentagon； and
I need not say that the brainless vertex of an acute…angled Isosceles is
obvious to the dullest touch。 It is therefore not necessary； as a rule； to do
more than feel a single angle of an individual； and this； once ascertained；
tells us the class of the person whom we are addressing； unless indeed he
belongs to the higherSECTIONs of the nobility。 There the difficulty is
much greater。 Even a Master of Arts in our University of Wentbridge has
been known to confuse a ten…sided with a twelve…sided Polygon； and there
is hardly a Doctor of Science in or out of that famous University who
could pretend to decide promptly and unhesitatingly between a twenty…
sided and a twenty…four sided member of the Aristocracy。
Those of my readers who recall the extracts I gave above from the
Legislative code concerning Women； will readily perceive that the process
of introduction by contact requires some care and discretion。 Otherwise
the angles might inflict on the unwary Feeling irreparable injury。 It is
essential for the safety of the Feeler that the Felt should stand perfectly
still。 A start； a fidgety shifting of the position； yes； even a violent sneeze；
has been known before now to prove fatal to the incautious； and to nip in
the bud many a promising friendship。 Especially is this true among the
lower classes of the Triangles。 With them； the eye is situated so far from
their vertex that they can scarcely take cognizance of what goes on at that
extremity of their frame。 They are； moreover； of a rough coarse nature； not
sensitive to the delicate touch of the highly organized Polygon。 What
wonder then if an involuntary toss of the head has ere now deprived the
State of a valuable life！
I have heard that my excellent Grandfatherone of the least irregular
of his unhappy Isosceles class； who indeed obtained； shortly before his
decease； four out of seven votes from the Sanitary and Social Board for
passing him into the class of the Equal…sided often deplored； with a tear
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in his venerable eye； a miscarriage of this kind； which had occurred to his
great…great…great…Grandfather； a respectable Working Man with an angle or
brain of 59 degrees 30 minutes。 According to his account； my
unfortunately Ancestor； being afflicted with rheumatism； and in the act of
being felt by a Polygon； by one sudden start accidentally transfixed the
Great Man through the diagonal and thereby； partly in consequence of his
long imprisonment and degradation； and partly because of the moral shock
which pervaded the whole of my Ancestor's relations； threw back our
family a degree and a half in their ascent towards better things。 The result
was that in the next generation the family brain was registered at only 58
degrees； and not till the lapse of five generations was the lost ground
recovered； the full 60 degrees attained； and the Ascent from the Isosceles
finally achieved。 And all this series of calamities from one little accident
in the process of Feeling。
As this point I think I hear some of my better educated readers exclaim；
〃How could you in Flatland know anything about angles and degrees； or
minutes？ We SEE an angle； because we； in the region of Space； can see
two straight lines inclined to one another； but you； who can see nothing
but on straight line at a time； or at all events only a number of bits of
straight lines all in one straight line； how can you ever discern an angle；
and much less register angles of different sizes？〃
I answer that though we cannot SEE angles； we can INFER them； and
this with great precision。 Our sense