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Chapter 24 — The Natural History of the Selenites
Soalsoheloveshiswork,anddischargesinperfecthappinessthedutythatjustifieshisbeing.AndsoitiswithallsortsandconditionsofSelenites—eachisaperfectunitinaworldmachine....
“Thesebeingswithbigheads,onwhomtheintellectuallaboursfall,formasortofaristocracyinthisstrangesociety,andattheheadofthem,quintessentialofthemoon,isthatmarvellousgiganticgangliontheGrandLunar,intowhosepresenceIamfinallytocome.Theunlimiteddevelopmentofthemindsoftheintellectualclassisrenderedpossiblebytheabsenceofanybonyskullinthelunaranatomy,thatstrangeboxofbonethatclampsaboutthedevelopingbrainofman,imperiouslyinsisting‘thusfarandnofarther’toallhispossibilities.Theyfallintothreemainclassesdifferinggreatlyininfluenceandrespect.Thereareadministrators,ofwhomPhi-ooisone,Selenitesofconsiderableinitiativeandversatility,responsibleeachforacertaincubiccontentofthemoon’sbulk;theexpertslikethefootball-headedthinker,whoaretrainedtoperformcertainspecialoperations;andtheerudite,whoaretherepositoriesofallknowledge.TothelatterclassbelongsTsi-puff,thefirstlunarprofessorofterrestriallanguages.Withregardtotheselatter,itisacuriouslittlethingtonotethattheunlimitedgrowthofthelunarbrainhasrenderedunnecessarytheinventionofallthosemechanicalaidstobrainworkwhichhavedistinguishedthecareerofman.Therearenobooks,norecordsofanysort,nolibrariesorinscriptions.
