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Chapter 24 — The Natural History of the Selenites
Hisbraingrows,oratleastthemathematicalfacultiesofhisbraingrow,andtherestofhimonlysomuchasisnecessarytosustainthisessentialpartofhim.Atlast,saveforrestandfood,hisonedelightliesintheexerciseanddisplayofhisfaculty,hisoneinterestinitsapplication,hissolesocietywithotherspecialistsinhisownline.Hisbraingrowscontinuallylarger,atleastsofarastheportionsengaginginmathematicsareconcerned;theybulgeeverlargerandseemtosuckalllifeandvigourfromtherestofhisframe.Hislimbsshrivel,hisheartanddigestiveorgansdiminish,hisinsectfaceishiddenunderitsbulgingcontours.Hisvoicebecomesamerestridulationforthestatingofformulæ;heseemsdeaftoallbutproperlyenunciatedproblems.Thefacultyoflaughter,saveforthesuddendiscoveryofsomeparadox,islosttohim;hisdeepestemotionistheevolutionofanovelcomputation.Andsoheattainshisend.
“Or,again,aSeleniteappointedtobeaminderofmooncalvesisfromhisearliestyearsinducedtothinkandlivemooncalf,tofindhispleasureinmooncalflore,hisexerciseintheirtendingandpursuit.Heistrainedtobecomewiryandactive,hiseyeisinduratedtothetightwrappings,theangularcontoursthatconstitutea‘smartmooncalfishness.’Hetakesatlastnointerestinthedeeperpartofthemoon;heregardsallSelenitesnotequallyversedinmooncalveswithindifference,derision,orhostility.Histhoughtsareofmooncalfpastures,andhisdialectanaccomplishedmooncalftechnique.
