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Erewhon （Revised Edition）
by Samuel Butler
OR OVER THE RANGE
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
The Author wishes it to be understood that Erewhon is pronounced as
a word of three syllables； all shortthus； E…re…whon。
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION
Having been enabled by the kindness of the public to get through an
unusually large edition of 〃Erewhon〃 in a very short time； I have
taken the opportunity of a second edition to make some necessary
corrections； and to add a few passages where it struck me that they
would be appropriately introduced； the passages are few； and it is
my fixed intention never to touch the work again。
I may perhaps be allowed to say a word or two here in reference to
〃The Coming Race；〃 to the success of which book 〃Erewhon〃 has been
very generally set down as due。 This is a mistake； though a
perfectly natural one。 The fact is that 〃Erewhon〃 was finished；
with the exception of the last twenty pages and a sentence or two
inserted from time to time here and there throughout the book；
before the first advertisement of 〃The Coming Race〃 appeared。 A
friend having called my attention to one of the first of these
advertisements； and suggesting that it probably referred to a work
of similar character to my own； I took 〃Erewhon〃 to a well…known
firm of publishers on the 1st of May 1871； and left it in their
hands for consideration。 I then went abroad； and on learning that
the publishers alluded to declined the MS。； I let it alone for six
or seven months； and； being in an out…of…the…way part of Italy；
never saw a single review of 〃The Coming Race；〃 nor a copy of the
work。 On my return； I purposely avoided looking into it until I
had sent back my last revises to the printer。 Then I had much
pleasure in reading it； but was indeed surprised at the many little
points of similarity between the two books； in spite of their
entire independence to one another。
I regret that reviewers have in some cases been inclined to treat
the chapters on Machines as an attempt to reduce Mr。 Darwin's
theory to an absurdity。 Nothing could be further from my
intention； and few things would be more distasteful to me than any
attempt to laugh at Mr。 Darwin； but I must own that I have myself
to thank for the misconception； for I felt sure that my intention
would be missed； but preferred not to weaken the chapters by
explanation； and knew very well that Mr。 Darwin's theory would take
no harm。 The only question in my mind was how far I could afford
to be misrepresented as laughing at that for which I have the most
profound admiration。 I am surprised； however； that the book at
which such an example of the specious misuse of analogy would seem
most naturally levelled should have occurred to no reviewer；
neither shall I mention the name of the book here； though I should
fancy that the hint given will suffice。
I have been held by some whose opinions I respect to have denied
men's responsibility for their actions。 He who does this is an
enemy who deserves no quarter。 I should have imagined that I had
been sufficiently explicit； but have made a few additions to the
chapter on Malcontents； which will； I think； serve to render
further mistake impossible。
An anonymous correspondent （by the hand…writing presumably a
clergyman） tells me that in quoting from the Latin grammar I should
at any rate have done so correctly； and that I should have written
〃agricolas〃 instead of 〃agricolae〃。 He added something about any
boy in the fourth form； &c。； &c。； which I shall not quote； but
which made me very uncomfortable。 It may be said that I must have
misquoted from design； from ignorance； or by a slip of the pen； but
surely in these days it will be recognised as harsh to assign
limits to the all…embracing boundlessness of truth； and it will be
more reasonably assumed that EACH of the three possible causes of
misquotation must have had its share in the apparent blunder。 The
art of writing things that shall sound right and yet be wrong has
made so many reputations； and affords comfort to such a large
number of readers； that I could not venture to neglect it； the
Latin grammar； however； is a subject on which some of the younger
members of the community feel strongly； so I have now written
〃agricolas〃。 I have also parted with the word 〃infortuniam〃
（though not without regret）； but have not dared to meddle with
other similar inaccuracies。
For the inconsistencies in the book； and I am aware that there are
not a few； I must ask the indulgence of the reader。 The blame；
however； lies chiefly with the Erewhonians themselves； for they
were really a very difficult people to understand。 The most
glaring anomalies seemed to afford them no intellectual
inconvenience； neither； provided they did not actually see the
money dropping out of their pockets； nor suffer immediate physical
pain； would they listen to any arguments as to the waste of money
and happiness which their folly caused them。 But this had an
effect of which I have little reason to complain； for I was allowed
almost to call them life…long self…deceivers to their faces； and
they said it was quite true； but that it did not matter。
I must not conclude without expressing my most sincere thanks to my
critics and to the public for the leniency and consideration with
which they have treated my adventures。
June 9； 1872
PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION
My publisher wishes me to say a few words about the genesis of the
work； a revised and enlarged edition of which he is herewith laying
before the public。 I therefore place on record as much as I can
remember on this head after a lapse of more than thirty years。
The first part of 〃Erewhon〃 written was an article headed 〃Darwin
among the Machines；〃 and signed Cellarius。 It was written in the
Upper Rangitata district of the Canterbury Province （as it then
was） of New Zealand； and appeared at Christchurch in the Press
Newspaper； June 13； 1863。 A copy of this article is indexed under
my books in the British Museum catalogue。 In passing； I may say
that the opening chapters of 〃Erewhon〃 were also drawn from the
Upper Rangitata district； with such modifications as I found
convenient。
A second article on the same subject as the one just referred to
appeared in the Press shortly after the first； but I have no copy。
It treated Machines from a different point of view； and was the
basis of pp。 270…274 of the present edition of 〃Erewhon。〃 ｛1｝ This
view ultimately led me to the theory I put forward in 〃Life and
Habit；〃 published in November 1877。 I have put a bare outline of
this theory （which I believe to be quite sound） into the mouth of
an Erewhonian philosopher in Chapter XXVII。 of this book。
In 1865 I rewrote and enlarged 〃Darwin among the Machines〃 for the
Reasoner； a paper published in London by Mr。 G。 J。 Holyoake。 It
appeared July 1； 1865； under the heading； 〃The Mechanical
Creation；〃 and can be seen in the British Museum。 I again rewrote
and enlarged it； till it assumed the form in which it appeared in
the first edition of 〃Erewhon。〃
The next part of 〃Erewhon〃 that I wrote was the 〃World of the
Unborn；〃 a preliminary form of which was sent to Mr。 Holyoake's
paper； but as I cannot find it among those copies of the Reasoner
that are in the British Museum； I conclude that it was not
accepted。 I have； however； rather a strong fancy that it appeared
in some London paper of the same character as the Reasoner； not
very long after July 1； 1865； but I have no copy。
I also wrote about this time the substance of what ultimately
became the Musical Banks； and the trial of a man for being in a
consumption。 These four detached papers were； I believe； all that
was written of 〃Erewhon〃 before 1870。 Between 1865 and 1870 I
wrote hardly anything； being hopeful of attaining that success as a
painter which it has not been vouchsafed me to attain； but in the
autumn of 1870； just as I was beginning to get occasionally hung at
Royal Academy exhibitions； my friend； the late Sir F。 N。 （then Mr。）
Broome； suggested to me that I should add somewhat to the articles
I had already written； and string