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Chapter I. The Blurring Of Lines
"He’dputupthefeathersofasucking-doveandsetupariotinaQuakers’meeting.NowonderhehasmadeLondontoohotforhim.It’sapeety,Mr.Malone,forit’sagrandbrain!We’lllet’shavetheanalogy."
"Wewillsuppose,"Iread,"thatasmallbundleofconnectedcorkswaslaunchedinasluggishcurrentuponavoyageacrosstheAtlantic.Thecorksdriftslowlyonfromdaytodaywiththesameconditionsallroundthem.Ifthecorksweresentientwecouldimaginethattheywouldconsidertheseconditionstobepermanentandassured.Butwe,withoursuperiorknowledge,knowthatmanythingsmighthappentosurprisethecorks.Theymightpossiblyfloatupagainstaship,orasleepingwhale,orbecomeentangledinseaweed.Inanycase,theirvoyagewouldprobablyendbytheirbeingthrownupontherockycoastofLabrador.Butwhatcouldtheyknowofallthiswhiletheydriftedsogentlydaybydayinwhattheythoughtwasalimitlessandhomogeneousocean?
"YourreaderswillpossiblycomprehendthattheAtlantic,inthisparable,standsforthemightyoceanofetherthroughwhichwedriftandthatthebunchofcorksrepresentsthelittleandobscureplanetarysystemtowhichwebelong.Athird-ratesun,withitsragtagandbobtailofinsignificantsatellites,wefloatunderthesamedailyconditionstowardssomeunknownend,somesqualidcatastrophewhichwilloverwhelmusattheultimateconfinesofspace,wherewearesweptoveranethericNiagaraordasheduponsomeunthinkableLabrador.Iseenoroomherefortheshallowandignorantoptimismofyourcorrespondent,Mr.
