PROLOGUE
The year of grace, 2002, had arrived and the world had seen many changes. The kingdoms of the earth had gone through great experiences. Nations had risen and fallen; the boundaries of Empires had been modified; for a serious redistribution of territory had taken place.
Petty sovereignties had now become merged into greater ones, having fallen a prey to the strong; for the dominant Powers had divided the spoil by agreement.
Nevertheless, on the whole, peace and contentment reigned; for advanced knowledge, not only taught the inutility, gross inhumanity, and waste of war, but science had made such wonderful progress in the arts of warfarethroughout the whole world, that a battle actually meant the complete annihilation of both sides; thus a victory for either became an impossibility.
Along with this enforced peace-keeping the wave of civilisation had spread everywhere carrying its mind-culture, its arts, and handicrafts to the uttermost parts of the earth; until the world had become a huge beehive of active industry, although not necessarily a severe muscle-wearing one.
Through all the generations dating from the close of the nineteenth century the social question relative to the status of woman had been ever uppermost, having been kept to the front by the intense longing of the sex for a wider walk of life, a more extended field of action.
They demanded a great reformation, a complete recast of social economics.
The leading features of their programme being a higher education, which should be recognised by the Universities, Law, and Medical Corporations, in order that more honourable, lucrative, and responsible employments might be opened to them.
They demanded also, political, social, and marital equality between the sexes; for they averred that women were being cramped and crippled by old-time conventionalities, the outcome of the customs and prejudices of mediæval ignorance and tyranny, which had invariably relegated their sex to a lower platform of liberty.
As citizens it placed them in the position of minors and lunatics, they averred, and as wives it gave them but little more authority than what their children possessed from a legal point of view, however talented and cultivated they might be.
Loud and bitter were the railings of the dominant sex against the movement. Men scoffed and derided ‘the new woman,’ as they mockingly termed her.
She became the subject of epigram, pun, and pleasantry generally; the butt of every shallow humorist, and dubbed ‘the new darn on the old bluestocking,’ whatever that might mean. She was told that her aspirations were bold and offensive in the extreme; that they ‘unsexed’ her.
Nor was she spared by her own sex. Ifa lady novelist had the courage to make a stand for social purity the critics would pounce upon her, condemning her work as ‘improper.’
Mostly those following this calling were males; but there were to be found feminine monstrosities among writers, who to curry favour with the multitude, stooped to the unworthiness of writing down those devoted champions of liberty for their own sex.
It was a long battle and a hard, this struggle for equality. Man’s dominance and woman’s subjugation had not been a healthy influence throughout the ages, for either sex.
Society taught, and the laws of the realm favoured the theory, that the code of morality for the man was widely different to that which should guide the woman.
But the new woman saw whence this incongruity sprang, and showed that it had its birth and continued existence in the coarser instincts of the male, whose desires it tended to foster and encourage.
‘Truly,’ she exclaimed, ‘the arrogance and selfishness of man is not difficult to discover, although veiled by the hypocritical excuse of keeping intact the sweet delicacyand spirituality of woman. Men demand that we should continue to repose a child-like confidence in their goodness; well, we shall be only too ready to grant it as soon as we are assured that they have made themselves worthy of our trust.’
Education and experience had now opened her eyes: impelled by necessity she shook off the bonds that had bound her so long and utilised the talents that had for ages lain dormant, turning them into worthier and more useful channels.
How their first steps in the ways of liberty were derided! Nevertheless, there came forward high-souled men who held out a helping hand to these struggling children, who were laboriously and anxiously stretching and straining to reach the longed-for goal.
The crowning joy came at last. Slowly, and by almost imperceptible degrees, she won one concession, and then another, until by the time the second millenary was reached her great ambition was attained.
Like all wise reforms it benefited equally its adversaries as supporters; and man, who at the outset bitterly opposed the movement,reaped the advantage derived therefrom, to his own comfort and content.
Woman’s position was now assured, and she took her place alongside man on equal terms. If a post of honour, or high emolument were vacant, sex was not taken into consideration in the choice of a candidate, for the person best suited for the position was selected according to his or her proved ability, or past experience.
It frequently happened that a young fellow earning but 100l.a year would woo successfully a young lady filling a position of importance that yielded her 500l.per annum. For it might chance that she had enjoyed the advantage over him of a superior training, or inherited abler ability for that particular employment; and these combined with perhaps, superior family influence exerted on her behalf had given her the better start.
In such a case as this, with their united incomes, the young couple were in a position to set up housekeeping in a fairly respectable style; the bridegroom’s good luck might be envied by his companions, but no one thought the worse of either.
Moreover it worked beneficially for the male in other ways. If accident, or sickness deprived a man of the capability of following his employment, he and his family, were not reduced to want, for the wife became the bread-winner, leaving him in charge of the housekeeping.
This arrangement was considered no hardship by the wife; for she was relieved of domestic cares, and control of domestic servants, which, as a rule, the husband discharged with great success. It was frequently found that a master obtained readier obedience and more faithful service than a mistress. Whether this was owing to his requirements being less exacting than those of a mistress, or to that indefinable influence which one sex holds over the other, cannot be determined; doubtless it was a combination of the two that gave the man greater empire over the woman-servant.
It is not to be supposed that a domestic servant occupied the humble position she held in previous times; for a well-appointed household requiring at least four servants, in the nineteenth century would at this periodneed but one. The vast amount of mechanical contrivances worked by electricity minimised labour to such an extent that it raised the position of a domestic servant to that of a working electrician of the nineteenth century; which period saw the birth of the practical use of electric energy. In fact, a thoroughly good domestic servant who knew her work, that is to say, a woman who understood, and successfully conducted the various machines, keeping them in working order, could readily command her two pounds a week, and run a home, husband, and children on her own account.
The social economy of this time was entirely different to that of any previous period. Marriage in no way incapacitated a woman-servant from keeping her situation. Indeed, it had a contrary effect; most people preferring a steady-going married woman with responsibilities, to a flirty inexperienced maiden who might use her position in the household to wile away a heedless son, or a somewhat lonesome husband. As a rule, however, such an occurrence happened rarely; the marriage state was mostly a very happyone, and faithfully kept on both sides, for a high standard of morality ruled supreme.
Other factors supported this beneficent condition; for all being equal as breadwinners, and the number of the sexes equally balanced, a man deemed himself fortunate when he secured a good wife and did his utmost to please her.
On her side affection alone prompted her to marry; the unworthy motive of making marriage the means of obtaining a home of her own, no longer existed, as every parent trained his daughter equally as his son to hold a position of independence, by giving her a trade, or profession to follow.
Both humble and high-born possessed more or less practical knowledge of physiology; especially those branches dealing directly with health, and the functions of reproduction, which enabled women to fill more intelligently the positions of wife and mother.
It was appointed by Government that all persons should be taught the more important branches of this science in the public schools, as soon as they reached the age of twelveyears together with the principles of social economy. It was considered a gross immorality on the part of parents to bring into existence a large family of children, whom they could not possibly rear with comfort to themselves, or with any degree of justice to their offspring.
But over and above the personal inconvenience of poor people being overburdened with children, the disadvantage of giving birth to large families was recognised by all from an economic point of view: for the world was becoming so thickly populated that it appeared obvious a difficulty would arise in providing foodstuffs for so many millions of human beings, notwithstanding the very material assistance the science of chemistry afforded in feeding the multitude.
All persons, therefore recognised the necessity of supporting legislative authority on this point, for being an intellectual people they saw it worked to their advantage from every point of view.
Inordinate reproduction interfered with a wife’s ability to supplement her husband’s income by following her own profession, andthereby making a very narrow income into an easy one.
In bygone days if the mistress of a public school entered the marriage state she entered the schoolroom no more; custom decreed that with marriage all bread winning ceased on her side, and her husband’s small income must suffice.
Of course theraison d’êtreof this custom was not far to seek, for her child-bearing duties, to which no limit was placed, would considerably interfere with those of her situation.
But at this advanced period public opinion decreed that such a course was the outcome of brute ignorance; for physiological and psychological science taught that the position of parent was the most responsible in all creation, and to bring any number of children into the world until Nature refused to do more, was a condition of life in its wildest state; for man in every other form of life controls the exuberance of Nature, for wise purposes.
As soon as a wife decided on becoming a mother,—and most women looked forward tothat position with keen interest, for the love of children is ever paramount in the female breast,—she would brace herself to the fulfilment of the duties of this great responsibility.
She realised that on herself alone rested, not only the building up of the physical frame of her unborn child, but also the formation of the pre-natal mind, with all its mental and moral capacities.
She knew that every thought, impulse, and action of hers would leave their impress upon the brain of her child; for a stimulus would be given to the development of the faculties in those directions, according to the degree in which she exercised her own.
In order, therefore to ensure herself the possession of a child perfect in physique, and intellect; and endowed with such faculties of mind as formed her beau ideal of a beautiful character, she underwent a course of self-denial and watchfulness throughout the whole period of pregnancy.
During this important period, the greatest in her life, she took heed that no emotion,thought, or action was indulged in on her part that she would object to seeing reproduced in her child, however modified these might be by the new individuality.
To ensure this she followed a system of wholesome and healthy employment, which served the two-fold purpose of keeping her mind pure, and her muscle-power in practice. By experience it was found that the most beautiful characters had been given to the world by parents noted for their industry, morality and unselfishness.
Then there were the intellectual powers of the child’s mind to consider, for it was not left to chance the arrangement of his talents, or capabilities for a profession.
Expectant parents took time by the forelock, for instead of waiting for the period when their son’s schooling would be completed for the choice of a profession, they carefully considered the question long before he put in an appearance, and made their plans regarding his future with twentieth-century forethought.
If it so happened that the ambition of a couple was to see their son a professor ofmusic then the mother-that-was-to-be took herrôleaccordingly.
During this interesting time she would devote herself almost exclusively to the pursuit of music; daily practising on the instruments she wished him to excel in; studying the theory of music, attending high-class musical entertainments; encouraging lovers of music at her house, and in fact, neglecting nothing that lay in her power to foster and encourage the growth of that group of faculties, whose possession makes the perfect musician.
Indeed, the friends of a ladyenceintewould suspect her condition, not from seeing her lying about on the couch, or other indolent indulgences, but from her increased activities in a regular and definite direction.
‘It’s easy to see,’ a neighbour would remark in fireside parlance, ‘that Mistress Woodward is expecting a son; evidently they are going to make him a civil engineer. Mark, how she is slaving over mathematics and reading up every work on engineering she can lay her hands on. Why, her boudoir is filled with mechanical drawings: you wouldthink she was about building all the suspension bridges, and electrometers in the Empire. It is a son, you may be sure; she would hardly put a daughter to such a profession, seeing that when one comes she will be an heiress. Yes, the grandmother left all her property to the grand-daughter,when she arrives. I suppose they will have one; it goes without saying that they will,under the circumstances.’
Or this might be the gossip.
‘It’s coming off at last! They’re going to give themselves a baby—poor things! ’Twas a silly love match, thou remembers, and their united incomes were as nothing compared with their ideas, brought up as they were in every luxury. However, the wife got a good appointment last October owing to the influence of her friends; result—she is going to have a baby—a girl, I am told. It is plain enough to see what trade the child is to follow, for the expectant mother is now running a laboratory and slaves in it nightly, besides attending the Government lectures on chemistry held weekly in the large hall of the Science Schools. Well, it is a useful profession,and will do equally well for a boy; it’s just possible they may have made a mistake and the baby will prove to be a boy after all. I never thought either of them over intelligent—they are sure to blunder—but what matters it? They can have a girl next time. Of course they will treat themselves to two children—they can now afford it.’
Still another sample of twentieth-century table talk.
Mr. Brown.‘Hast thou seen Smithers lately? It is a long time since I set eyes on him; what is he doing?’
Mr. White.‘Oh, all his spare time is taken up showing Mistress Smithers how to manufacture flying machines. He takes her into his workshop daily, explaining the uses of this, that and the other. She has a lathe of her own, run by electricity, and she makes the parts and fits them together. Of course as soon as the baby is born she will drop it, for Smithers is well off now; capital business that flying machine one, especially with that new patent of his—it almost goes like the wind, and a lot steadier.’
Mr. Brown.‘Bless my life! why shewent through all that fag four years ago, I remember very well I could never get a minute with him. As soon as ever his workmen were gone, in went the wife for her lessons, and mighty quick she was too, in taking it all in. Are they going to havetwosons?’
Mr. White.‘Not if they know it! They made a mistake last time; it appears ’twas an order for a daughter that went, while they thought it was for a son, so Mistress Smithers has to go through all her exercisesde novo; it is to be hoped they have made no blunderthistime, for it is no joke after all, for the poor woman.’
Mr. Brown.‘The boy should be a genius when he comes, seeing thatbothparents are adepts in the business. Occasionally we have freaks of nature,—now, haven’t we? Rememberest thou those Percys, they were going to have apoet, forsooth! but, ha, ha, ha, he turned out a simpleton!! He now takes the pence for the man who lends out his flying machine to boys. So much for manufacturing poets beforehand.’
Mr. White.‘It was a maxim of the ancients that poets must be born not made,and it still holds good in these days of light: for a great poet only comes once in an epoch. He is an intellectual giant, as it were, and the conditions under which he is formed are not yet fathomed. It is comparatively easy for a woman to take up any ordinary employment with a view of giving a certain bias to the child’s faculties, but how in the name of goodness can a person all at once simulate the poet, and expect her child to come into the world a ready-made bard—why it is preposterous!’
Mr. Brown.‘We cannot limit the possibilities of the future: only a hundred years ago the possibility of arranging the sex of a child was laughed at as a simple absurdity. Now we arrange not only the number of our children but their sex also; and very properly too, for we can do greater justice to our progeny when we know what we are about, than if they came by blind chance, merely.’
Mr. White.‘We are twenty-first century people, now—let us remember that fact, two thousand and two! Yea, verily, the world is growing very old and that blessed millennium hasn’t come yet!’
Mr. Brown.‘Thisis the millennium. We shall get no better. Is not the prophecy fulfilled of the ancient poets—“The wolf and the lamb shall lie down together?” Where is war? It has ceased to exist. Civilisation and science have worked out the miracle, and given to war its quietus.’
It is necessary to explain that by this time such a perfect knowledge of physiology was attained that the sex of the desired offspring could be regulated by parents. As soon as the discovery was made, and fully and completely tested, it was not locked up as a professional secret, but was given to the people by order of the Government in a handbook of health that was issued yearly at a nominal cost, which contained up-to-date information on hygiene, or general management of Health, and Home. By this means at least two-thirds of the children born were males, which kept the balance fairly even of the sexes. For notwithstanding the fact that Nature had at all times given the predominance of number to the masculine sex, yet owing to the numerous accidents that befell men while in the pursuit of their calling; andalso to the severer strain on their constitution as the breadwinners, the mortality was consequently greater. From these causes mainly the nations found themselves mostly, with a redundance of adult females.
But a complete metamorphosis had now set in, for the people had eagerly taken advantage of the information afforded them, availing themselves of it to such an extent that the succeeding generation of males found themselves with a very inadequate supply of wives.
This awkward dilemma was, however, remedied in course of time, and eventually a fairly even number of the sexes was obtained.
But there was still another factor that assisted in maintaining the balance—the opening of trades and professions to women, which custom had kept so long closed against them, causing parents to hesitate in sending their daughters to learn trades and professions. ‘Better have no daughters at all,’ thought many susceptible ones, ‘if they must toil for their living like men.’ But time works wonders: the day came when adaughter brought as much honour and credit to her family as ever a son could possibly have achieved.
What men in the first instance regarded as an invasion of their rights, proved in the end an inestimable blessing. A wife ceased to be a kind of encumbrance upon a struggling man, and became a helpmate in a very substantial sense; for marriage no longer incapacitating a woman from continuing her employment, the income of a couple was doubled: by this means the two were enabled to live in greater comfort and with less strain and worry to the husband. Thus the longevity of the male was increased by the more equal distribution of labour between the sexes, for the wear and tear to the nervous system in the battle of life being reduced, had its share in prolonging masculine life and sustaining an equality of number of the sexes.
As every person loved his profession, or trade, ‘being born to it,’ in a most literal sense, his enthusiasm and interest in it never slackened, consequently, no woman deemed it a hardship to follow the calling her parentshad designed for her, even when marriage made it no longer a necessity. When the duties of her situation were discharged each day, supposing she filled one, for few women ever thought of throwing up a good post on account of getting married—she would return to her home, whose appointments denoted the presence of the greatest refinement and comfort, and finish the day, for the hours of labour were short, in the society of her husband and children, varied by the enjoyment of social pleasures, or intellectual pursuits.
PART II
For over a hundred years woman had been gradually developing in strength and stature, and had by this time attained as great a height as man formerly possessed. ‘Woman’s weakness’ was an unknown term, except from ancient literature, for owing to the various athletic exercises which for generations had been the universal custom for girls and women to engage in, and also to the increased physical strength attained by abstemiousness from much child-bearing, they had almost overtaken the males in vigour, and endurance. Courage being the accompaniment of bodily strength the myth of a woman running away from a mouse was regarded as a silly invention of their ancestors for the purpose of pleasantry, or a playful manner of showing up the difference of the organisation of the sexes. But there were cynics to be found who averred that the comic papers of the nineteenth century in their skits on societygave as true a reflection of its condition, from one point of view, as the most veracious and trustworthy historian could have afforded.
It appeared, indeed, utterly absurd to the twentieth-century mind, when they turned over the leaves of some ancient copy ofPunchto see the joke portraying the bald-headed pater looking aghast when the monthly nurse presents him with the twelfth consignment, which are twins!
‘Why the man ought to be dandling his grand-children at his time of life, he is actually bald, and babies coming still!’ the reader of those ancient cynicisms would exclaim.
They could not understand the imprudence of parents bringing children into the world for almost the whole of their natural lives. Leaving themselves without leisure or ease to enjoy the fruits of their industry in middle age, while yet youthful enough to appreciate the pleasures of life.
The nursery story—most artistically illustrated, of course,—descriptive of the condition of their ancestors formed a curious revelation to twentieth-century children.
‘This is the man who toiled all day to fillthe mouths of seven hungry children that didn’t get enough.
‘This is the woman all worn with care, who was wife to the man that toiled all day, to fill the mouths of seven hungry children that didn’t get enough.
‘This is the strap the woman used, all worn with care, who was wife to the man that toiled all day to fill the mouths of seven hungry children that didn’t get enough.
‘This is the pup that eat up the strap the woman used, all worn with care, who was wife to the man that toiled all day to fill the mouths of seven hungry children that didn’t get enough.
‘This is the cat that clawed the pup, that eat up the strap, the woman used, all worn with care, who was wife to the man that toiled all day to fill the mouths of seven hungry children that didn’t get enough.
‘This is the tank that drowned the cat, that clawed the pup, that eat up the strap the woman used, all worn with care, who was wife to the man that toiled all day to fill the mouths of seven hungry children that didn’t get enough.’
This melancholy record of the fortunes of the nineteenth-century representative peasant, was doubtless a variation of the legend of the old woman that lived in a shoe. Nevertheless it amused the little tots of twenty-first century time. For the extraordinary picture of seven little children inhabiting one poor little cottage appeared utterly absurd to their advanced minds, which could scarcely comprehend the folly of a poor man possessing more mouths to fill than was possible. ‘What did he want with all those?’ they innocently inquired.
But their nurse could only reply—‘She didn’t quite know: it was a way they had in nineteenth-century times.’
The laws of health were so strictly taught in all schools that no individual could possibly grow up ignorant on those points; and every man, mostly, knew how to take charge of his own body.
Nevertheless professors of medicine still flourished on the face of the earth; but the masculine sex had for generations past lost the monopoly of the profession.
As a rule, however, the lady doctor wasin no greater demand than her male rival, men still holding their own to some extent; for the world will ever see those women who prefer men to dance attendance on them.
The profession was, indeed, pretty equally divided between the sexes; most mothers preferring females to prescribe for their children in times of dangerous sickness, believing that they were more successful in their treatment of the troubles of childhood. Besides, it followed as a natural consequence that as the lady accoucheur brought the child into the world, which was the invariable custom, it was only fair that she should have the medical care of the little one afterwards.
The serious infant mortality which prevailed among the lower orders up to the close of the nineteenth century, was now so reduced, that parents, as a rule, succeeded in rearing their families intact.
Greater enlightenment in the methods of their upbringing, together with superior sanitary arrangements of the domicile, no doubt tended largely towards effecting this change.
Small families being the rule, instead of the exception, it must be admitted that witha lesser number to provide for, greater care and comfort could be bestowed upon their offspring; so that the reduction of the birthrate had the effect of reducing the death-rate; this fact combined with increased longevity of the adult, quite doubled the average of human life.
The difference in dress between men and women was not great; the sexes were mostly distinguishable by the method of dressing their hair.
Men had ceased cutting their hair closely, for it was found that this practice materially injured its growth, and finally ended in making all the males bald before they were twenty years of age.
Specialists averred that the cause of the trouble arose from two sources. By constantly cropping the hair an unnatural stimulus was imparted to its growth, which quickly impoverished the hair follicles, and so brought about their early decay. Also, the scalp being unduly deprived of its natural covering of long hair was left an easy prey to every germ, or fungus that chose to make its home there. For these reasons men decidedto wear their hair long, and usually kept it from six to twelve inches in length, in curls about their neck, which had the effect of giving them a very romantic appearance.
Women allowed their hair its full natural length, arranging it in coils and plaits, pretty much in the manner of the ancients.
At this time there were persons with fads who affected high art in gastronomical matters; preferring to patronise the food-chemist rather than the butcher and baker. Chemical foodstuffs for the supply of the waste of the various tissues of the body were arranged in pills and tabloids, the quantity allowed for a meal being printed on the label.
This practice however, failed to meet with anything approaching popular favour, for mankind still loved too well the pleasures of the table to give up a good dinner for a pill. For who would prefer a nitrogenous tabloid to the delicacies of the banquet, which form the necessary concomitants of the soul-inspiring nectars usually quaffed by the appreciative Teuton on every available occasion?
Indeed, to him the loss of the sensations of that comfort and satisfaction which followa good meal was tantamount to bidding adieu to the most substantial pleasure of life.
Besides, their internal arrangements had something to say in the matter; and their utter collapse for want of some substance to keep them in position proved a warning to the daring experimenter.
Notwithstanding all the arguments of advanced scientists, the food-chemists failed in disestablishing the old-fashioned system of eating and drinking.
Moreover there were physiologists who declared that it was an impossibility as man is constituted, to sustain life by means of elemental substances being introduced into the system unless a complete reconstruction of the organisation could be effected.
For the various organs that acted together, forming a laboratory for the change of foodstuffs into vital force, having no occupation must necessarily languish, and get out of gear through sheer inanition.
Thus the revolution in animal economy was perforce left over for the people of a more advanced period to deal with.
PART III
The nineteenth century saw the development of natural science to such a gigantic extent that the people could only exclaim—‘It is like reading a fairy tale of double-distilled enchantment; Aladdin’s lamp is as nothing compared with it!’
Great as was the civilisation of the ancients their genius had never attained to such heights as were reached by the scientists of that epoch.
Electricity was impounded into the service of man, and put to every possible purpose.
Experiment and research continued to be the order of the day; and the great glow of enthusiasm that fired the votaries of science never abated until all that was possible to be learnt concerning the adaptations of electric energy were known far and wide. Before the dawn of the twentieth centuryevery country on the face of the earth was bound together by a network of electrical energy.
Scientific knowledge had therefore made such vast progress all over the world, and the uses to which electric force could be applied had become so widely known that nations found they must settle their differences by some method other than warfare.
By the use of electric lightning, as it was named, to distinguish it from cloud lightning, whole armies could be annihilated by a couple of electricians. And as skilful workmen of this class were in full force in every country, and at the word of command were ready to apply this deadly instrument of destruction with instantaneous effect, the powers of warfare were pretty equally balanced.
In course of time, on this account, standing armies were abolished, for obviously, they were absolutely useless for the defence of a nation, and in their stead a supreme Court of Justice was set up, entitledThe World’s Tribunal.
This was composed of delegates, or representatives from every nation, each beingentitled to send two persons who were usually chosen from the ministry.
It is needless to explain that such a position of responsibility was given only to men of excellent wisdom and proved ability, who had already won the confidence of their country. As a rule, the decisions of this unique Court were abided by, but if a judgment gave general dissatisfaction, then a return to an extremely primitive method of warfare was permitted, under certain modified conditions.
A company of picked men, famous in athletic exercises were selected by the countries in dispute and pitted against each other, armed with electrically-charged lances, very short, and silvered over to give them a more imposing appearance.
The object of each combatant was not to take life, or give serious injury to his adversary, but simply to temporarily paralyse his right arm, the combat being conducted according to certain stringent regulations and conditions.
At one time females offered themselves for the trial, and gave good proof of their prowess and ability; but this ambition did not obtain for long, and their desire of emulation inmerely muscular exercises grew into disfavour; for woman considered it incumbent upon her to keep in advance of man in intellectual and philanthropical pursuits.
Social history had taught her that man must possess an ideal for his guidance, and where was that to be found if not in woman? It was her influence, and her example which had advanced him to his present high morality, his present plane of purity.
Sometimes several generations would pass away before an occasion arose for theGreat Test Tournamentto take place, so that when an engagement of this kind came off, it formed, in truth, a world’s fête. Kings and commoners flocked from all parts to witness this unusual spectacle: for the old love of combativeness was still dominant in the human mind, although mainly kept under excellent restraint.
The opportunity therefore, of seeing such an important contest, the result of which bore such serious issues, was eagerly sought by all classes, in every country. Indeed, it was patronised to such an extent that it was found necessary to restrict the number of sightseers to one million. For it was foundmost inconvenient to entertain and provide accommodation for more, there being no room for such a heavy addition to their numbers in the already well-filled city. All cities were pretty nearly alike, in this respect, the world being very thickly populated.
The Great Test Tournamentformed, in truth, a grand and imposing spectacle. What an exciting scene would then present itself!
Flying machines impelled by electric energy darkened the air. Sumptuous carriages set in motion by the same force, and filled with gaily costumed men and women eager to witness the scene, whirled along the roads formed of cement as smooth as glass, and hard as adamant.
Horsemen elegantly attired, cantered briskly along the side road, which was devoted specially to their use, for that designed for general purposes was too smooth for the equestrian.
Horses, indeed, were trotted out more for display than absolute use, by the wealthy, for the means of locomotion was accessible to all.
The poorest person, almost, could conveniently run his own electric car; for the expenseof construction was light, and by a simple process of the conservation of energy the supply of electric force was sustained at a small cost.
By this time the concentration and conservation of solar energy was in general practice; usually large manufactories favoured its use, for the storage of the sun’s rays had become practicable and was superseding electricity to some extent. The ocean was no impediment to personal locomotion, for seas were skimmed over by means of electrical flying machines; while ships impelled by the same force were used chiefly for the transport of cargo.
Nevertheless, there was still a large percentage of persons who preferred riding the wave on an electric, or solar energy impelled vessel, to floating through the air in a flying machine, for nerves were not yet out of fashion.
Notwithstanding all the dreams of nineteenth-century political reformers England had still retained its old institutions, for the Empire continued to be ruled by a monarchical form of government diluted somewhat with the constitutional. So far from being agreat Republic by this time the tendency went the other way, for new conditions sprang up which gave the Sovereign a degree of absolutism which the fondest hopes of the Royalist could never have conjured up. By reason of marriages and intermarriages between the Royal Houses of Great Britain and Germany the two families became so intermixed that in consequence of the sudden death of the heir-apparent to the German crown, followed immediately by the death of the Emperor, the Sovereign of England woke up one morning to find himself the direct successor to the throne of the Fatherland.
It happened in this way. A great war broke out between Germany and France in the year 1930, and in the midst of a fierce contest, where the great field pieces were charged with missiles which emitted volleys of electric lightning into the German ranks, a French electrician sent an electric bolt at the Emperor and his son, killing the younger royal warrior instantly, and severely injuring the elder. The following day the Emperor succumbed to his injuries, to the intense grief of all his subjects.
Thiscoupfailed to give the French nation the victory, but it gave the German crown to the Sovereign of England, who was the only successor. This was the last battle Europe ever saw; public opinion decreed that such cruel slaughter should be discontinued for all time. As a matter of course there was much opposition at the outset to the Sovereign of another country swaying the sceptre of their beloved fatherland, albeit he was in reality more German than English.
Long speeches were made in the Reichstag, and ancient laws raked up to show its utter unconstitutional character. But when it was pointed out by their favourite minister, an old man full of wisdom and experience, what a splendid gain it would prove to their country in having such a powerful nation as the English merged into theirs; for united the two could defy the world independently of any alliance with other great Powers. To this unanswerable argument the opposition succumbed, and gracefully gave way to the inevitable.
The two countries set apart a whole week for national rejoicings at this glorious union of two great nations in a manner unparalleledin all history. It was poetically entitled the marriage of the beautiful Sea-Girt Isle with the strong and Ever-Enduring Fatherland. This euphemism took away the bitterness of the pill that most of the Germans were mouthing, for they were not altogether satisfied at seeing their country come under the dominance of another Power, albeit the ties of consanguinity and policy bound both together. But the strongest factor in producing satisfaction was the intense pleasure they felt in arousing the ire and deep indignation of the French nation, who saw at a glance her utter incapacity to cope with a rival whose dominions would now all but encircle her, and whose power and possessions extended to every part of the globe.
Thus it came to pass that Albert Felicitas, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and Emperor of India and Africa, was crowned Emperor of Germany, which now held the small sovereignties of Denmark and Sweden.
Henceforward this great portion of European territory was namedThe Teutonic Empire, which comprising the Germanic and British Empires united the scattered Teutons into one solid body.