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limbs other than as machines； and a leg is only a much better
wooden leg than any one can manufacture。
〃Observe a man digging with a spade； his right fore…arm has become
artificially lengthened； and his hand has become a joint。 The
handle of the spade is like the knob at the end of the humerus； the
shaft is the additional bone； and the oblong iron plate is the new
form of the hand which enables its possessor to disturb the earth
in a way to which his original hand was unequal。 Having thus
modified himself； not as other animals are modified； by
circumstances over which they have had not even the appearance of
control； but having； as it were； taken forethought and added a
cubit to his stature； civilisation began to dawn upon the race； the
social good offices； the genial companionship of friends； the art
of unreason； and all those habits of mind which most elevate man
above the lower animals； in the course of time ensued。
〃Thus civilisation and mechanical progress advanced hand in hand；
each developing and being developed by the other； the earliest
accidental use of the stick having set the ball rolling； and the
prospect of advantage keeping it in motion。 In fact； machines are
to be regarded as the mode of development by which human organism
is now especially advancing； every past invention being an addition
to the resources of the human body。 Even community of limbs is
thus rendered possible to those who have so much community of soul
as to own money enough to pay a railway fare； for a train is only a
seven…leagued foot that five hundred may own at once。〃
The one serious danger which this writer apprehended was that the
machines would so equalise men's powers； and so lessen the severity
of competition； that many persons of inferior physique would escape
detection and transmit their inferiority to their descendants。 He
feared that the removal of the present pressure might cause a
degeneracy of the human race； and indeed that the whole body might
become purely rudimentary； the man himself being nothing but soul
and mechanism； an intelligent but passionless principle of
mechanical action。
〃How greatly；〃 he wrote； 〃do we not now live with our external
limbs？ We vary our physique with the seasons； with age； with
advancing or decreasing wealth。 If it is wet we are furnished with
an organ commonly called an umbrella； and which is designed for the
purpose of protecting our clothes or our skins from the injurious
effects of rain。 Man has now many extra…corporeal members； which
are of more importance to him than a good deal of his hair； or at
any rate than his whiskers。 His memory goes in his pocket…book。
He becomes more and more complex as he grows older； he will then be
seen with see…engines； or perhaps with artificial teeth and hair：
if he be a really well…developed specimen of his race； he will be
furnished with a large box upon wheels； two horses； and a
coachman。〃
It was this writer who originated the custom of classifying men by
their horse…power； and who divided them into genera； species；
varieties； and subvarieties； giving them names from the
hypothetical language which expressed the number of limbs which
they could command at any moment。 He showed that men became more
highly and delicately organised the more nearly they approached the
summit of opulence； and that none but millionaires possessed the
full complement of limbs with which mankind could become
incorporate。
〃Those mighty organisms；〃 he continued； 〃our leading bankers and
merchants； speak to their congeners through the length and breadth
of the land in a second of time； their rich and subtle souls can
defy all material impediment； whereas the souls of the poor are
clogged and hampered by matter； which sticks fast about them as
treacle to the wings of a fly； or as one struggling in a quicksand：
their dull ears must take days or weeks to hear what another would
tell them from a distance； instead of hearing it in a second as is
done by the more highly organised classes。 Who shall deny that one
who can tack on a special train to his identity； and go wheresoever
he will whensoever he pleases； is more highly organised than he
who； should he wish for the same power； might wish for the wings of
a bird with an equal chance of getting them； and whose legs are his
only means of locomotion？ That old philosophic enemy； matter； the
inherently and essentially evil； still hangs about the neck of the
poor and strangles him： but to the rich； matter is immaterial； the
elaborate organisation of his extra…corporeal system has freed his
soul。
〃This is the secret of the homage which we see rich men receive
from those who are poorer than themselves： it would be a grave
error to suppose that this deference proceeds from motives which we
need be ashamed of： it is the natural respect which all living
creatures pay to those whom they recognise as higher than
themselves in the scale of animal life； and is analogous to the
veneration which a dog feels for man。 Among savage races it is
deemed highly honourable to be the possessor of a gun； and
throughout all known time there has been a feeling that those who
are worth most are the worthiest。〃
And so he went on at considerable length； attempting to show what
changes in the distribution of animal and vegetable life throughout
the kingdom had been caused by this and that of man's inventions；
and in what way each was connected with the moral and intellectual
development of the human species： he even allotted to some the
share which they had had in the creation and modification of man's
body； and that which they would hereafter have in its destruction；
but the other writer was considered to have the best of it； and in
the end succeeded in destroying all the inventions that had been
discovered for the preceding 271 years； a period which was agreed
upon by all parties after several years of wrangling as to whether
a certain kind of mangle which was much in use among washerwomen
should be saved or no。 It was at last ruled to be dangerous； and
was just excluded by the limit of 271 years。 Then came the
reactionary civil wars which nearly ruined the country； but which
it would be beyond my present scope to describe。
CHAPTER XXVI： THE VIEWS OF AN EREWHONIAN PROPHET CONCERNING THE
RIGHTS OF ANIMALS
It will be seen from the foregoing chapters that the Erewhonians
are a meek and long…suffering people； easily led by the nose； and
quick to offer up common sense at the shrine of logic； when a
philosopher arises among them； who carries them away through his
reputation for especial learning； or by convincing them that their
existing institutions are not based on the strictest principles of
morality。
The series of revolutions on which I shall now briefly touch shows
this even more plainly than the way （already dealt with） in which
at a later date they cut their throats in the matter of machinery；
for if the second of the two reformers of whom I am about to speak
had had his wayor rather the way that he professed to havethe
whole race would have died of starvation within a twelve…month。
Happily common sense； though she is by nature the gentlest creature
living； when she feels the knife at her throat； is apt to develop
unexpected powers of resistance； and to send doctrinaires flying；
even when they have bound her down and think they have her at their
mercy。 What happened； so far as I could collect it from the best
authorities； was as follows：…
Some two thousand five hundred years ago the Erewhonians were still
uncivilised； and lived by hunting； fishing； a rude system of
agriculture； and plundering such few other nations as they had not
yet completely conquered。 They had no schools or systems of
philosophy； but by a kind of dog…knowledge did that which was right
in their own eyes and in those of their neighbours； the common
sense； therefore； of the public being as yet unvitiated； crime and
disease were looked upon much as they are in other countries。
But with the gradual advance of civilisation and increase in
material prosperity； people began to ask questions about things
that they had hitherto tak