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Chapter 24 — The Natural History of the Selenites
SoitisIhavebeenabletogetatthisapparatus,and,assistedbyahappyfindamongthematerialthatislitteredinthisenormousstore-cave,Ihavecontrivedtodespatchthesemessages.Sofarnottheslightestattempthasbeenmadetointerferewithmeinthis,thoughIhavemadeitquitecleartoPhi-oothatIamsignallingtotheearth.
“‘Youtalktoother?’heasked,watchingme.
“‘Others,’saidI.
“‘Others,’hesaid.‘Ohyes,Men?’
“AndIwentontransmitting.”
CavorwascontinuallymakingcorrectionsinhispreviousaccountsoftheSelenitesasfreshfactsfloweduponhimtomodifyhisconclusions,andaccordinglyonegivesthequotationsthatfollowwithacertainamountofreservation.Theyarequotedfromtheninth,thirteenth,andsixteenthmessages,and,altogethervagueandfragmentaryastheyare,theyprobablygiveascompleteapictureofthesociallifeofthisstrangecommunityasmankindcannowhopetohaveformanygenerations.
“Inthemoon,”saysCavor,“everycitizenknowshisplace.Heisborntothatplace,andtheelaboratedisciplineoftrainingandeducationandsurgeryheundergoesfitshimatlastsocompletelytoitthathehasneitherideasnororgansforanypurposebeyondit.‘Whyshouldhe?’Phi-oowouldask.If,forexample,aSeleniteisdestinedtobeamathematician,histeachersandtrainerssetoutatoncetothatend.Theycheckanyincipientdispositiontootherpursuits,theyencouragehismathematicalbiaswithaperfectpsychologicalskill.
