How I Reached Spaceland and What I Saw

An unspeakable horror seized me. There was a darkness; then a dizzy, sickening sensation of sight that was not like seeing; I saw a Line that was no Line; Space that was not Space: I was myself, and not myself. When I could find voice, I shrieked aloud in agony, "Either this is madness or it is Hell." "It is neither," calmly replied the voice of the Sphere, "it is Knowledge; it is Three Dimensions: open your eye once again and try to look steadily."

An indescribable horror gripped me. Everything went dark. Then came a dizzy, sickening sense of seeing that was unlike sight. I saw a Line that was not a Line. I saw Space that was not Space. I was myself and yet not myself. When I could speak, I screamed in agony, "Either this is madness or it is Hell." "It is neither," the Sphere's voice replied calmly. "It is Knowledge. It is Three Dimensions. Open your eye again and try to look steadily."

I looked, and, behold, a new world! There stood before me, visibly incorporate, all that I had before inferred, conjectured, dreamed, of perfect Circular beauty. What seemed the centre of the Stranger's form lay open to my view: yet I could see no heart, nor lungs, nor arteries, only a beautiful harmonious Something—for which I had no words; but you, my Readers in Spaceland, would call it the surface of the Sphere.

I looked, and there was a new world! Before me stood the visible embodiment of perfect Circular beauty. Here was all I had reasoned out, guessed at, and dreamed of. What seemed to be the centre of the Stranger's form was open to my view. Yet I could see no heart, lungs, or arteries, only a beautiful, harmonious Something for which I had no words. But you, my Readers in Spaceland, would call that Something the surface of the Sphere.

Prostrating myself mentally before my Guide, I cried, "How is it, O divine ideal of consummate loveliness and wisdom that I see thy inside, and yet cannot discern thy heart, thy lungs, thy arteries, thy liver?" "What you think you see, you see not," he replied; "it is not given to you, nor to any other Being to behold my internal parts. I am of a different order of Beings from those in Flatland. Were I a Circle, you could discern my intestines, but I am a Being, composed as I told you before, of many Circles, the Many in the One, called in this country a Sphere. And, just as the outside of a Cube is a Square, so the outside of a Sphere presents the appearance of a Circle."

In my mind, I bowed low before my Guide and cried, "O divine ideal of perfect beauty and wisdom! How can I see your inside, yet not see your heart, lungs, arteries, or liver?" "You do not see what you think you see," he replied. "Neither you nor any other Being can see my internal parts. I am a different kind of Being from those in Flatland. If I were a Circle, you could see my intestines. But as I told you before, I am a Being made up of many Circles, the Many in the One. In this country, such a Being is called a Sphere. And just as the outside of a Cube is a Square, the outside of a Sphere looks like a Circle."

Bewildered though I was by my Teacher's enigmatic utterance, I no longer chafed against it, but worshipped him in silent adoration. He continued, with more mildness in his voice. "Distress not yourself if you cannot at first understand the deeper mysteries of Spaceland. By degrees they will dawn upon you. Let us begin by casting back a glance at the region whence you came. Return with me a while to the plains of Flatland, and I will shew you that which you have often reasoned and thought about, but never seen with the sense of sight—a visible angle." "Impossible!" I cried; but, the Sphere leading the way, I followed as if in a dream, till once more his voice arrested me: "Look yonder, and behold your own Pentagonal house, and all its inmates."

Although my Teacher's puzzling words bewildered me, I no longer resisted them, but worshipped him in silent adoration. He continued in a gentler voice. "Do not be distressed if you cannot understand the deeper mysteries of Spaceland at first. Gradually, those mysteries will become clear to you. Let us begin by looking back at the region you came from. Return with me for a while to the plains of Flatland. I will show you something you have often reasoned and thought about, but never seen with your own eyes: a visible angle." "Impossible!" I cried. But I followed the Sphere as he led the way, as if I were dreaming. Then his voice stopped me again: "Look over there, and see your own Pentagonal house, and everyone inside it."

I looked below, and saw with my physical eye all that domestic individuality which I had hitherto merely inferred with the understanding. And how poor and shadowy was the inferred conjecture in comparison with the reality which I now beheld! My four Sons calmly asleep in the North-Western rooms, my two orphan Grandsons to the South; the Servants, the Butler, my Daughter, all in their several apartments. Only my affectionate Wife, alarmed by my continued absence, had quitted her room and was roving up and down in the Hall, anxiously awaiting my return. Also the Page, aroused by my cries, had left his room, and under pretext of ascertaining whether I had fallen somewhere in a faint, was prying into the cabinet in my study. All this I could now SEE, not merely infer; and as we came nearer and nearer, I could discern even the contents of my cabinet, and the two chests of gold, and the tablets of which the Sphere had made mention.

I looked down and saw with my own eyes the private lives I had previously only imagined through reasoning. How pale and shadowy my guesses seemed compared with the reality I now saw! My four Sons slept peacefully in the North-Western rooms, and my two orphan Grandsons slept to the South. The Servants, the Butler, and my Daughter were all in their own rooms. Only my loving Wife had left her room, alarmed by my continued absence. She wandered up and down the Hall, anxiously waiting for my return. The Page, too, had been woken by my cries and had left his room. He pretended to be checking whether I had fainted somewhere, but was snooping in the cabinet in my study. All this I could now SEE, not merely work out through reasoning. And as we came closer and closer, I could even make out the contents of my cabinet. I could also see the two chests of gold and the tablets the Sphere had mentioned.

Touched by my Wife's distress, I would have sprung downward to reassure her, but I found myself incapable of motion. "Trouble not yourself about your Wife," said my Guide: "she will not be long left in anxiety; meantime, let us take a survey of Flatland."

Moved by my Wife's distress, I would have jumped down to reassure her. But I found I couldn't move. "Don't worry about your Wife," said my Guide. "She won't be left worrying for long. In the meantime, let's take a look at Flatland."

Once more I felt myself rising through space. It was even as the Sphere had said. The further we receded from the object we beheld, the larger became the field of vision. My native city, with the interior of every house and every creature therein, lay open to my view in miniature. We mounted higher, and lo, the secrets of the earth, the depths of mines and inmost caverns of the hills, were bared before me.

Once again I felt myself rising through space. Everything was just as the Sphere had said. The farther we moved from the object we were looking at, the more we could see. My home city lay before me in miniature, with every house’s interior and every creature inside open to my view. We rose higher, and now the earth’s secrets were revealed to me, including deep mines and the hills’ innermost caves.

Awestruck at the sight of the mysteries of the earth, thus unveiled before my unworthy eye, I said to my Companion, "Behold, I am become as a God. For the wise men in our country say that to see all things, or as they express it, OMNIVIDENCE, is the attribute of God alone." There was something of scorn in the voice of my Teacher as he made answer: "Is it so indeed? Then the very pick-pockets and cut-throats of my country are to be worshipped by your wise men as being Gods: for there is not one of them that does not see as much as you see now. But trust me, your wise men are wrong."

I was awestruck by the mysteries of the earth, now revealed to my unworthy eyes. I said to my Companion, "Look, I have become like a God. For the wise men in our country say that seeing all things is a power belonging to God alone. They call this power OMNIVIDENCE." My Teacher answered with a hint of scorn in his voice: "Is that really so? Then your wise men should worship even the pickpockets and murderers of my country as Gods. For every one of them sees as much as you see now. But trust me, your wise men are wrong."

I. Then is omnividence the attribute of others besides Gods?

I. Then can beings other than Gods also have omnividence?

SPHERE. I do not know. But, if a pick-pocket or a cut-throat of our country can see everything that is in your country, surely that is no reason why the pick-pocket or cut-throat should be accepted by you as a God. This omnividence, as you call it—it is not a common word in Spaceland—does it make you more just, more merciful, less selfish, more loving? Not in the least. Then how does it make you more divine?

SPHERE. I do not know. But suppose a pickpocket or murderer from our country can see everything in your country. Surely you should not accept that pickpocket or murderer as a God just because he can see everything. You call this power omnividence. The word is not common in Spaceland. Does omnividence make you more just, more merciful, less selfish, or more loving? Not in the least. Then how does omnividence make you more divine?

I. "More merciful, more loving!" But these are the qualities of women! And we know that a Circle is a higher Being than a Straight Line, in so far as knowledge and wisdom are more to be esteemed than mere affection.

I. "More merciful, more loving!" But these are women's qualities! And we know that a Circle is a higher being than a Straight Line. This is true insofar as knowledge and wisdom deserve more respect than mere affection.

SPHERE. It is not for me to classify human faculties according to merit. Yet many of the best and wisest in Spaceland think more of the affections than of the understanding, more of your despised Straight Lines than of your belauded Circles. But enough of this. Look yonder. Do you know that building?

SPHERE. It is not my place to rank human abilities by their worth. Yet many of the best and wisest in Spaceland value feelings more than intellect. They value the Straight Lines you despise more than the Circles you praise so highly. But enough of this discussion. Look over there. Do you recognize that building?

I looked, and afar off I saw an immense Polygonal structure, in which I recognized the General Assembly Hall of the States of Flatland, surrounded by dense lines of Pentagonal buildings at right angles to each other, which I knew to be streets; and I perceived that I was approaching the great Metropolis.

I looked into the distance and saw an immense Polygonal building. I recognized it as the General Assembly Hall of the States of Flatland. Around the hall, dense rows of Pentagonal buildings ran at right angles to one another. I knew these rows marked streets, and I realized I was approaching the great Metropolis.

"Here we descend," said my Guide. It was now morning, the first hour of the first day of the two thousandth year of our era. Acting, as was their wont, in strict accordance with precedent, the highest Circles of the realm were meeting in solemn conclave, as they had met on the first hour of the first day of the year 1000, and also on the first hour of the first day of the year 0.

"Here we go down," said my Guide. It was now morning, the first hour of the first day of the two thousandth year of our era. As usual, the highest Circles of the realm were following precedent strictly. They were gathering for a solemn meeting, just as they had at the same hour on the same day in 1000. They had also met at the first hour of the first day of the year 0.

The minutes of the previous meetings were now read by one whom I at once recognized as my brother, a perfectly Symmetrical Square, and the Chief Clerk of the High Council. It was found recorded on each occasion that: "Whereas the States had been troubled by divers ill-intentioned persons pretending to have received revelations from another World, and professing to produce demonstrations whereby they had instigated to frenzy both themselves and others, it had been for this cause unanimously resolved by the Grand Council that on the first day of each millenary, special injunctions be sent to the Prefects in the several districts of Flatland, to make strict search for such misguided persons, and without formality of mathematical examination, to destroy all such as were Isosceles of any degree, to scourge and imprison any regular Triangle, to cause any Square or Pentagon to be sent to the district Asylum, and to arrest any one of higher rank, sending him straightway to the Capital to be examined and judged by the Council."

The minutes of the previous meetings were then read by someone I immediately recognized as my brother. He was a perfectly Symmetrical Square and the Chief Clerk of the High Council. The minutes for each meeting contained the same record: "The States had been troubled by various ill-intentioned persons claiming to have received revelations from another World. These persons also claimed to offer demonstrations that had driven both themselves and others into a frenzy. For this reason, the Grand Council had unanimously passed the following resolution. On the first day of every thousand-year period, special orders must be sent to the Prefects throughout Flatland. The Prefects must conduct a thorough search for such misguided persons. Without the formality of a mathematical examination, the Prefects must kill all such persons who are Isosceles of any degree. They must whip and imprison any regular Triangle, and send any Square or Pentagon to the district Asylum. They must arrest anyone of higher rank and send him immediately to the Capital for examination and judgment by the Council."

"You hear your fate," said the Sphere to me, while the Council was passing for the third time the formal resolution. "Death or imprisonment awaits the Apostle of the Gospel of Three Dimensions." "Not so," replied I, "the matter is now so clear to me, the nature of real space so palpable, that methinks I could make a child understand it. Permit me but to descend at this moment and enlighten them." "Not yet," said my Guide, "the time will come for that. Meantime I must perform my mission. Stay thou there in thy place." Saying these words, he leaped with great dexterity into the sea (if I may so call it) of Flatland, right in the midst of the ring of Counsellors. "I come," cried he, "to proclaim that there is a land of Three Dimensions."

"You hear your fate," the Sphere said to me as the Council passed the formal resolution for the third time. "Death or imprisonment awaits the Apostle of the Gospel of Three Dimensions." "No," I replied. "The matter is now so clear to me, and the nature of real space so easy to grasp. I think I could make a child understand it. Just let me go down now and explain it to them." "Not yet," said my Guide. "The time for that will come. Meanwhile, I must carry out my mission. Stay where you are." With these words, he leaped skillfully into the sea of Flatland, if I may call it a sea. He landed right in the middle of the ring of Counsellors. "I come," he cried, "to announce that there is a land of Three Dimensions."

I could see many of the younger Counsellors start back in manifest horror, as the Sphere's circular section widened before them. But on a sign from the presiding Circle—who shewed not the slightest alarm or surprise—six Isosceles of a low type from six different quarters rushed upon the Sphere. "We have him," they cried; "No; yes; we have him still! he's going! he's gone!"

I could see many of the younger Counsellors recoil in obvious horror as the Sphere's circular cross-section widened before them. But the presiding Circle showed no alarm or surprise at all. At his signal, six Isosceles of a low type rushed at the Sphere from six different directions. "We have him," they cried. "No, yes, we still have him! He's going! He's gone!"

"My Lords," said the President to the Junior Circles of the Council, "there is not the slightest need for surprise; the secret archives, to which I alone have access, tell me that a similar occurrence happened on the last two millennial commencements. You will, of course, say nothing of these trifles outside the Cabinet."

"My Lords," said the President to the Junior Circles of the Council, "there is no reason at all to be surprised. Only I have access to the secret archives. They tell me that something similar happened at the start of each of the last two millennia. You will, of course, say nothing about these trivial matters outside the Cabinet."

Raising his voice, he now summoned the guards. "Arrest the policemen; gag them. You know your duty." After he had consigned to their fate the wretched policemen—ill-fated and unwilling witnesses of a State-secret which they were not to be permitted to reveal—he again addressed the Counsellors. "My Lords, the business of the Council being concluded, I have only to wish you a happy New Year." Before departing, he expressed, at some length, to the Clerk, my excellent but most unfortunate brother, his sincere regret that, in accordance with precedent and for the sake of secrecy, he must condemn him to perpetual imprisonment, but added his satisfaction that, unless some mention were made by him of that day's incident, his life would be spared.

Raising his voice, he called for the guards. "Arrest the policemen. Gag them. You know your duty." He had now left the wretched policemen to their fate. They were unlucky, unwilling witnesses to a State secret, and they would not be allowed to reveal it. He then addressed the Counsellors again. "My Lords, the Council's business is finished. All that remains is for me to wish you a happy New Year." Before leaving, he spoke at some length to the Clerk, my excellent but most unfortunate brother. He expressed his sincere regret at having to sentence my brother to life in prison. He had to follow established practice and protect the secret. But he added that he was pleased my brother's life would be spared, unless my brother mentioned that day's incident.