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no longer to be treated as rational； nor receive any mental education。 The
consequence was that they were no longer taught to read； nor even to
master Arithmetic enough to enable them to count the angles of their
husband or children； and hence they sensibly declined during each
generation in intellectual power。 And this system of female non…education
or quietism still prevails。
My fear is that； with the best intentions； this policy has been carried so
far as to react injuriously on the Male Sex。
For the consequence is that； as things now are； we Males have to lead
a kind of bi…lingual； and I may almost say bimental； existence。 With
Women； we speak of 〃love；〃 〃duty；〃 〃right；〃 〃wrong；〃 〃pity；〃 〃hope；〃 and
other irrational and emotional conceptions； which have no existence； and
the fiction of which has no object except to control feminine exuberances；
but among ourselves； and in our books； we have an entirely different
vocabulary and I may also say； idiom。 〃Love〃 them becomes 〃the
anticipation of benefits〃； 〃duty〃 becomes 〃necessity〃 or 〃fitness〃； and
other words are correspondingly transmuted。 Moreover； among Women；
we use language implying the utmost deference for their Sex； and they
fully believe that the Chief Circle Himself is not more devoutly adored by
us than they are： but behind their backs they are both regarded and spoken
ofby all but the very young as being little better than 〃mindless
organisms。〃
Our Theology also in the Women's chambers is entirely different from
our Theology elsewhere。
Now my humble fear is that this double training； in language as well
as in thought； imposes somewhat too heavy a burden upon the young；
especially when； at the age of three years old； they are taken from the
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maternal care and taught to unlearn the old language except for the
purpose of repeating it in the presence of the Mothers and Nursesand to
learn the vocabulary and idiom of science。 Already methinks I discern a
weakness in the grasp of mathematical truth at the present time as
compared with the more robust intellect of our ancestors three hundred
years ago。 I say nothing of the possible danger if a Woman should ever
surreptitiously learn to read and convey to her Sex the result of her perusal
of a single popular volume； nor of the possibility that the indiscretion or
disobedience of some infant Male might reveal to a Mother the secrets of
the logical dialect。 On the simple ground of the enfeebling of the male
intellect； I rest this humble appeal to the highest Authorities to reconsider
the regulations of Female education。
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PART II
OTHER WORLDS
〃O brave new worlds； That have such people in them！〃
SECTION 13 How I had a Vision of Lineland
It was the last day but one of the 1999th year of our era； and the first
day of the Long Vacation。 Having amused myself till a late hour with my
favourite recreation of Geometry； I had retired to rest with an unsolved
problem in my mind。 In the night I had a dream。
I saw before me a vast multitude of small Straight Lines （which I
naturally assumed to be Women） interspersed with other Beings still
smaller and of the nature of lustrous pointsall moving to and fro in one
and the same Straight Line； and； as nearly as I could judge； with the same
velocity。
A noise of confused； multitudinous chirping or twittering issued from
them at intervals as long as they were moving； but sometimes they ceased
from motion； and then all was silence。
Approaching one of the largest of what I thought to be Women； I
accosted her； but received no answer。 A second and third appeal on my
part were equally ineffectual。 Losing patience at what appeared to me
intolerable rudeness； I brought my mouth to a position full in front of her
mouth so as to intercept her motion； and loudly repeated my question；
〃Woman； what signifies this concourse； and this strange and confused
chirping； and this monotonous motion to and fro in one and the same
Straight Line？〃
〃I am no Woman；〃 replied the small Line： 〃I am the Monarch of the
world。 But thou； whence intrudest thou into my realm of Lineland？〃
Receiving this abrupt reply； I begged pardon if I had in any way startled or
molested his Royal Highness； and describing myself as a stranger I
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besought the King to give me some account of his dominions。 But I had
the greatest possible difficulty in obtaining any information on points that
really interested me； for the Monarch could not refrain from constantly
assuming that whatever was familiar to him must also be known to me and
that I was simulating ignorance in jest。 However； by preserving questions I
elicited the following facts：
It seemed that this poor ignorant Monarchas he called himself was
persuaded that the Straight Line which he called his Kingdom； and in
which he passed his existence； constituted the whole of the world； and
indeed the whole of Space。 Not being able either to move or to see； save in
his Straight Line； he had no conception of anything out of it。 Though he
had heard my voice when I first addressed him； the sounds had come to
him in a manner so contrary to his experience that he had made no answer；
〃seeing no man；〃 as he expressed it； 〃and hearing a voice as it were from
my own intestines。〃 Until the moment when I placed my mouth in his
World； he had neither seen me； nor heard anything except confused sounds
beating against； what I called his side； but what he called his INSIDE or
STOMACH； nor had he even now the least conception of the region from
which I had come。 Outside his World； or Line； all was a blank to him； nay；
not even a blank； for a blank implies Space； say；