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If the plan fails by which I propose to convert them myself； I
would gladly contribute my mite towards the sending two or three
trained missionaries； who have been known as successful converters
of Jews and Mahometans； but such have seldom much to glory in the
flesh； and when I think of the high Ydgrunites； and of the figure
which a missionary would probably cut among them； I cannot feel
sanguine that much good would be arrived at。 Still the attempt is
worth making； and the worst danger to the missionaries themselves
would be that of being sent to the hospital where Chowbok would
have been sent had he come with me into Erewhon。
Taking then their religious opinions as a whole； I must own that
the Erewhonians are superstitious； on account of the views which
they hold of their professed gods； and their entirely anomalous and
inexplicable worship of Ydgrun； a worship at once the most
powerful； yet most devoid of formalism； that I ever met with； but
in practice things worked better than might have been expected； and
the conflicting claims of Ydgrun and the gods were arranged by
unwritten compromises （for the most part in Ydgrun's favour）； which
in ninety…nine cases out of a hundred were very well understood。
I could not conceive why they should not openly acknowledge high
Ydgrunism； and discard the objective personality of hope； justice；
&c。； but whenever I so much as hinted at this； I found that I was
on dangerous ground。 They would never have it； returning
constantly to the assertion that ages ago the divinities were
frequently seen； and that the moment their personality was
disbelieved in； men would leave off practising even those ordinary
virtues which the common experience of mankind has agreed on as
being the greatest secret of happiness。 〃Who ever heard；〃 they
asked； indignantly； 〃of such things as kindly training； a good
example； and an enlightened regard to one's own welfare； being able
to keep men straight？〃 In my hurry； forgetting things which I
ought to have remembered； I answered that if a person could not be
kept straight by these things； there was nothing that could
straighten him； and that if he were not ruled by the love and fear
of men whom he had seen； neither would he be so by that of the gods
whom he had not seen。
At one time indeed I came upon a small but growing sect who
believed； after a fashion； in the immortality of the soul and the
resurrection from the dead； they taught that those who had been
born with feeble and diseased bodies and had passed their lives in
ailing； would be tortured eternally hereafter； but that those who
had been born strong and healthy and handsome would be rewarded for
ever and ever。 Of moral qualities or conduct they made no mention。
Bad as this was； it was a step in advance； inasmuch as they did
hold out a future state of some sort； and I was shocked to find
that for the most part they met with opposition； on the score that
their doctrine was based upon no sort of foundation； also that it
was immoral in its tendency； and not to be desired by any
reasonable beings。
When I asked how it could be immoral； I was answered； that if
firmly held； it would lead people to cheapen this present life；
making it appear to be an affair of only secondary importance； that
it would thus distract men's minds from the perfecting of this
world's economy； and was an impatient cutting； so to speak； of the
Gordian knot of life's problems； whereby some people might gain
present satisfaction to themselves at the cost of infinite damage
to others； that the doctrine tended to encourage the poor in their
improvidence； and in a debasing acquiescence in ills which they
might well remedy； that the rewards were illusory and the result；
after all； of luck； whose empire should be bounded by the grave；
that its terrors were enervating and unjust； and that even the most
blessed rising would be but the disturbing of a still more blessed
slumber。
To all which I could only say that the thing had been actually
known to happen； and that there were several well…authenticated
instances of people having died and come to life againinstances
which no man in his senses could doubt。
〃If this be so；〃 said my opponent； 〃we must bear it as best we
may。〃
I then translated for him； as well as I could； the noble speech of
Hamlet in which he says that it is the fear lest worse evils may
befall us after death which alone prevents us from rushing into
death's arms。
〃Nonsense；〃 he answered； 〃no man was ever yet stopped from cutting
his throat by any such fears as your poet ascribes to himand your
poet probably knew this perfectly well。 If a man cuts his throat
he is at bay； and thinks of nothing but escape； no matter whither；
provided he can shuffle off his present。 No。 Men are kept at
their posts； not by the fear that if they quit them they may quit a
frying…pan for a fire； but by the hope that if they hold on； the
fire may burn less fiercely。 'The respect；' to quote your poet；
'that makes calamity of so long a life；' is the consideration that
though calamity may live long； the sufferer may live longer still。〃
On this； seeing that there was little probability of our coming to
an agreement； I let the argument drop； and my opponent presently
left me with as much disapprobation as he could show without being
overtly rude。
CHAPTER XVIII： BIRTH FORMULAE
I heard what follows not from Arowhena； but from Mr。 Nosnibor and
some of the gentlemen who occasionally dined at the house： they
told me that the Erewhonians believe in pre…existence； and not only
this （of which I will write more fully in the next chapter）； but
they believe that it is of their own free act and deed in a
previous state that they come to be born into this world at all。
They hold that the unborn are perpetually plaguing and tormenting
the married of both sexes； fluttering about them incessantly； and
giving them no peace either of mind or body until they have
consented to take them under their protection。 If this were not so
（this at least is what they urge）； it would be a monstrous freedom
for one man to take with another； to say that he should undergo the
chances and changes of this mortal life without any option in the
matter。 No man would have any right to get married at all；
inasmuch as he can never tell what frightful misery his doing so
may entail forcibly upon a being who cannot be unhappy as long as
he does not exist。 They feel this so strongly that they are
resolved to shift the blame on to other shoulders； and have
fashioned a long mythology as to the world in which the unborn
people live； and what they do； and the arts and machinations to
which they have recourse in order to get themselves into our own
world。 But of this more anon： what I would relate here is their
manner of dealing with those who do come。
It is a distinguishing peculiarity of the Erewhonians that when
they profess themselves to be quite certain about any matter； and
avow it as a base on which they are to build a system of practice；
they seldom quite believe in it。 If they smell a rat about the
precincts of a cherished institution； they will always stop their
noses to it if they can。
This is what most of them did in this matter of the unborn； for I
cannot （and never could） think that they seriously believed in
their mythology concerning pre…existence： they did and they did
not； they did not know themselves what they believed； all they did
know was that it was a disease not to believe as they did。 The
only thing of which they were quite sure was that it was the
pestering of the unborn which caused them to be brought into this
world； and that they would not have been here if they would have
only let peaceable people alone。
It would be hard to disprove this position； and they might have a
good case if they would only leave it as it stands。 But this they
will not do； they must have assurance doubly sure； they must have
the written word of the child itself as soon as it is born； giving
the parents indemnity from all responsibility on the score of its
birth； and asserting its own pre…existence。 They have therefore
devised someth