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           Here,aswiththeants,thisthinghasbecomeanormalconditionoftherace,andthewholeofsuchreplacementasisnecessaryfallsuponthisspecialandbynomeansnumerousclassofmatrons,themothersofthemoon-world,largeandstatelybeingsbeautifullyfittedtobearthelarvalSelenite.UnlessImisunderstandanexplanationofPhi-oo’s,theyareabsolutelyincapableofcherishingtheyoungtheybringintothemoon;periodsoffoolishindulgencealternatewithmoodsofaggressiveviolence,andassoonaspossiblethelittlecreatures,whoarequitesoftandflabbyandpalecoloured,aretransferredtothechargeofcelibatefemales,women‘workers’asitwere,whoinsomecasespossessbrainsofalmostmasculinedimensions.”

           Justatthispoint,unhappily,thismessagebrokeoff.Fragmentaryandtantalisingasthematterconstitutingthischapteris,itdoesneverthelessgiveavague,broadimpressionofanaltogetherstrangeandwonderfulworld—aworldwithwhichourownmayhavetoreckonweknownothowspeedily.Thisintermittenttrickleofmessages,thiswhisperingofarecordneedleinthestillnessofthemountainslopes,isthefirstwarningofsuchachangeinhumanconditionsasmankindhasscarcelyimaginedheretofore.Inthatsatelliteofourstherearenewelements,newappliances,traditions,anoverwhelmingavalancheofnewideas,astrangeracewithwhomwemustinevitablystruggleformastery—goldascommonasironorwood...