Trying Other Ways to Spread the Theory of Three Dimensions, and the Results

My failure with my Grandson did not encourage me to communicate my secret to others of my household; yet neither was I led by it to despair of success. Only I saw that I must not wholly rely on the catch-phrase, "Upward, not Northward", but must rather endeavour to seek a demonstration by setting before the public a clear view of the whole subject; and for this purpose it seemed necessary to resort to writing.

My failure with my Grandson did not encourage me to share my secret with others in my household. But that failure did not make me give up hope of success either. I simply saw that I could not rely entirely on the catchphrase, "Upward, not Northward". Instead, I had to try to prove my point by giving the public a clear view of the whole subject. To do so, I felt I needed to put it in writing.

So I devoted several months in privacy to the composition of a treatise on the mysteries of Three Dimensions. Only, with the view of evading the Law, if possible, I spoke not of a physical Dimension, but of a Thoughtland whence, in theory, a Figure could look down upon Flatland and see simultaneously the insides of all things, and where it was possible that there might be supposed to exist a Figure environed, as it were, with six Squares, and containing eight terminal Points. But in writing this book I found myself sadly hampered by the impossibility of drawing such diagrams as were necessary for my purpose; for of course, in our country of Flatland, there are no tablets but Lines, and no diagrams but Lines, all in one straight Line and only distinguishable by difference of size and brightness; so that, when I had finished my treatise (which I entitled, "Through Flatland to Thoughtland") I could not feel certain that many would understand my meaning.

So I spent several months alone writing a book on the mysteries of Three Dimensions. But to avoid breaking the Law, if possible, I did not describe a physical Dimension. Instead, I described a Thoughtland from which, in theory, a Figure could look down upon Flatland. From there, the Figure could see the insides of all things at once. In Thoughtland, one might suppose that a Figure could exist surrounded, as it were, by six Squares, with eight endpoints. But as I wrote, I found myself badly held back because I could not draw the diagrams I needed. For of course, in our country of Flatland, the only drawing surfaces are Lines, and the only diagrams are Lines. All lie in one straight Line and can be distinguished only by differences in size and brightness. So when I finished my book, I could not be certain that many readers would understand my meaning. I had titled the book "Through Flatland to Thoughtland".

Meanwhile my life was under a cloud. All pleasures palled upon me; all sights tantalized and tempted me to outspoken treason, because I could not but compare what I saw in Two Dimensions with what it really was if seen in Three, and could hardly refrain from making my comparisons aloud. I neglected my clients and my own business to give myself to the contemplation of the mysteries which I had once beheld, yet which I could impart to no one, and found daily more difficult to reproduce even before my own mental vision.

Meanwhile, a shadow hung over my life. All pleasures lost their appeal. Everything I saw tormented and tempted me to speak openly of treason. I could not help comparing what I saw in Two Dimensions with its true form if seen in Three. I could hardly keep myself from saying these comparisons aloud. I neglected my clients and my own business to reflect on the mysteries I had once seen. Yet I could share those mysteries with no one. Each day, I found it harder to picture them even in my own mind.

One day, about eleven months after my return from Spaceland, I tried to see a Cube with my eye closed, but failed; and though I succeeded afterwards, I was not then quite certain (nor have I been ever afterwards) that I had exactly realized the original. This made me more melancholy than before, and determined me to take some step; yet what, I knew not. I felt that I would have been willing to sacrifice my life for the Cause, if thereby I could have produced conviction. But if I could not convince my Grandson, how could I convince the highest and most developed Circles in the land?

One day, about eleven months after my return from Spaceland, I tried to picture a Cube with my eye closed. I failed. Although I succeeded later, I was not quite sure I had pictured the original exactly. Nor have I ever been sure since. This uncertainty made me sadder than before and determined to do something. Yet I did not know what to do. I felt I would have been willing to sacrifice my life for the Cause if that could convince others. But if I could not convince my Grandson, how could I convince the highest and most developed Circles in the land?

And yet at times my spirit was too strong for me, and I gave vent to dangerous utterances. Already I was considered heterodox if not treasonable, and I was keenly alive to the danger of my position; nevertheless I could not at times refrain from bursting out into suspicious or half-seditious utterances, even among the highest Polygonal and Circular society. When, for example, the question arose about the treatment of those lunatics who said that they had received the power of seeing the insides of things, I would quote the saying of an ancient Circle, who declared that prophets and inspired people are always considered by the majority to be mad; and I could not help occasionally dropping such expressions as "the eye that discerns the interiors of things", and "the all-seeing land"; once or twice I even let fall the forbidden terms "the Third and Fourth Dimensions". At last, to complete a series of minor indiscretions, at a meeting of our Local Speculative Society held at the palace of the Prefect himself,—some extremely silly person having read an elaborate paper exhibiting the precise reasons why Providence has limited the number of Dimensions to Two, and why the attribute of omnividence is assigned to the Supreme alone—I so far forgot myself as to give an exact account of the whole of my voyage with the Sphere into Space, and to the Assembly Hall in our Metropolis, and then to Space again, and of my return home, and of everything that I had seen and heard in fact or vision. At first, indeed, I pretended that I was describing the imaginary experiences of a fictitious person; but my enthusiasm soon forced me to throw off all disguise, and finally, in a fervent peroration, I exhorted all my hearers to divest themselves of prejudice and to become believers in the Third Dimension.

Yet at times my spirit got the better of me, and I spoke dangerously. People already saw my views as unorthodox, if not treasonous, and I knew the danger of my position all too well. Nevertheless, I sometimes could not stop myself from making suspicious or partly rebellious remarks, even in the highest Polygonal and Circular society. For example, people sometimes discussed how to treat lunatics who claimed to have gained the power to see inside things. I would quote an ancient Circle who said that the majority always regard prophets and inspired people as mad. I also could not help occasionally using expressions like "the eye that discerns the interiors of things", and "the all-seeing land". Once or twice I even let slip the forbidden terms "the Third and Fourth Dimensions". Finally, after a series of minor indiscretions, I went further at a meeting of our Local Speculative Society. The meeting was held at the palace of the Prefect himself. Some extremely silly person had read a detailed paper explaining precisely why Providence had limited the number of Dimensions to Two. The paper also explained why the Supreme alone has the power to see everything. I forgot myself so completely that I gave an exact account of my entire journey with the Sphere into Space. I described our visit to the Assembly Hall in our Metropolis, our return to Space, and my return home. I also described everything I had seen and heard, whether in reality or in a vision. At first, I pretended to describe the imaginary experiences of a fictional person. But my enthusiasm soon forced me to drop all pretense. Finally, in a passionate conclusion, I urged all my listeners to set aside their prejudices and believe in the Third Dimension.

Need I say that I was at once arrested and taken before the Council?

Do I need to say that I was immediately arrested and brought before the Council?

Next morning, standing in the very place where but a very few months ago the Sphere had stood in my company, I was allowed to begin and to continue my narration unquestioned and uninterrupted. But from the first I foresaw my fate; for the President, noting that a guard of the better sort of Policemen was in attendance, of angularity little, if at all, under 55 degrees, ordered them to be relieved before I began my defence, by an inferior class of 2 or 3 degrees. I knew only too well what that meant. I was to be executed or imprisoned, and my story was to be kept secret from the world by the simultaneous destruction of the officials who had heard it; and, this being the case, the President desired to substitute the cheaper for the more expensive victims.

The next morning, I stood in the very place where the Sphere had stood with me just a few months earlier. I was allowed to tell my story from beginning to end, without questions or interruptions. But from the start, I foresaw my fate. The President noticed that the guards on duty were among the better Policemen. Their angles were little, if at all, below 55 degrees. Before I began my defense, he ordered them replaced by Policemen of a lower class, with angles of 2 or 3 degrees. I knew only too well what that meant. I would be executed or imprisoned. My story would be kept secret from the world by killing the officials who had heard it at the same time. For that reason, the President wanted to replace the more expensive victims with cheaper ones.

After I had concluded my defence, the President, perhaps perceiving that some of the junior Circles had been moved by my evident earnestness, asked me two questions:—

I finished my defense. Perhaps the President noticed that my obvious sincerity had moved some of the junior Circles. He then asked me two questions:

1. Whether I could indicate the direction which I meant when I used the words "Upward, not Northward"?

1. Could I point out the direction I meant when I said "Upward, not Northward"?

2. Whether I could by any diagrams or descriptions (other than the enumeration of imaginary sides and angles) indicate the Figure I was pleased to call a Cube?

2. Could I use any diagrams or descriptions to show the Figure I chose to call a Cube? Could I do so without just listing imaginary sides and angles?

I declared that I could say nothing more, and that I must commit myself to the Truth, whose cause would surely prevail in the end.

I said I could say no more and had to commit myself to the Truth. The cause of Truth would surely win in the end.

The President replied that he quite concurred in my sentiment, and that I could not do better. I must be sentenced to perpetual imprisonment; but if the Truth intended that I should emerge from prison and evangelize the world, the Truth might be trusted to bring that result to pass. Meanwhile I should be subjected to no discomfort that was not necessary to preclude escape, and, unless I forfeited the privilege by misconduct, I should be occasionally permitted to see my brother who had preceded me to my prison.

The President replied that he fully agreed with my feelings and that I could do no better. I must be sentenced to life in prison. But if the Truth intended me to leave prison and spread its message to the world, I could trust the Truth to make that happen. Meanwhile, I would face no discomfort beyond what was necessary to prevent my escape. Unless I lost the privilege through misconduct, I would occasionally be allowed to see my brother. He had been sent to the same prison before me.

Seven years have elapsed and I am still a prisoner, and—if I except the occasional visits of my brother—debarred from all companionship save that of my jailers. My brother is one of the best of Squares, just, sensible, cheerful, and not without fraternal affection; yet I confess that my weekly interviews, at least in one respect, cause me the bitterest pain. He was present when the Sphere manifested himself in the Council Chamber; he saw the Sphere's changing sections; he heard the explanation of the phenomena then given to the Circles. Since that time, scarcely a week has passed during seven whole years, without his hearing from me a repetition of the part I played in that manifestation, together with ample descriptions of all the phenomena in Spaceland, and the arguments for the existence of Solid things derivable from Analogy. Yet—I take shame to be forced to confess it—my brother has not yet grasped the nature of the Third Dimension, and frankly avows his disbelief in the existence of a Sphere.

Seven years have passed, and I am still a prisoner. Except for my brother’s occasional visits, I am allowed no company but my jailers. My brother is one of the best of Squares, fair, sensible, cheerful, and not without affection for me. Yet I confess that, in at least one respect, our weekly meetings cause me the bitterest pain. He was there when the Sphere appeared in the Council Chamber. He saw the Sphere’s changing cross-sections. He heard the explanation of these phenomena given to the Circles at the time. Since then, scarcely a week has passed in seven whole years without his hearing me recount my part in that appearance. Along with that account, I have given him detailed descriptions of all the phenomena in Spaceland. I have also explained the arguments for the existence of Solid things that can be drawn from Analogy. Yet I am ashamed to have to confess that my brother still has not grasped the nature of the Third Dimension. He openly admits that he does not believe a Sphere exists.

Hence I am absolutely destitute of converts, and, for aught that I can see, the millennial Revelation has been made to me for nothing. Prometheus up in Spaceland was bound for bringing down fire for mortals, but I—poor Flatland Prometheus—lie here in prison for bringing down nothing to my countrymen. Yet I exist in the hope that these memoirs, in some manner, I know not how, may find their way to the minds of humanity in Some Dimension, and may stir up a race of rebels who shall refuse to be confined to limited Dimensionality.

So I have made no converts at all. As far as I can see, the millennial Revelation has been given to me for nothing. Prometheus up in Spaceland was chained up for bringing fire down to mortals. But I, poor Flatland Prometheus, lie here in prison for bringing nothing down to my countrymen. Yet I live in hope that these memoirs may somehow reach the minds of humanity in Some Dimension. I do not know how. And I hope my memoirs may inspire a race of rebels who will refuse to be confined to limited Dimensionality.

That is the hope of my brighter moments. Alas, it is not always so. Heavily weighs on me at times the burdensome reflection that I cannot honestly say I am confident as to the exact shape of the once-seen, oft-regretted Cube; and in my nightly visions the mysterious precept, "Upward, not Northward", haunts me like a soul-devouring Sphinx. It is part of the martyrdom which I endure for the cause of the Truth that there are seasons of mental weakness, when Cubes and Spheres flit away into the background of scarce-possible existences; when the Land of Three Dimensions seems almost as visionary as the Land of One or None; nay, when even this hard wall that bars me from my freedom, these very tablets on which I am writing, and all the substantial realities of Flatland itself, appear no better than the offspring of a diseased imagination, or the baseless fabric of a dream.

That is my hope in my brighter moments. Sadly, I do not always feel that hope. Sometimes a troubling thought weighs heavily on me. I cannot honestly say I am sure of the exact shape of the Cube I saw only once. I have often mourned its loss. In my nightly visions, the mysterious instruction, "Upward, not Northward", haunts me like a soul-devouring Sphinx. My suffering for the cause of Truth includes times of mental weakness. At those times, Cubes and Spheres fade into the background of things that seem barely possible. The Land of Three Dimensions seems almost as imaginary as the Land of One or None. Sometimes even this hard wall that keeps me imprisoned seems no more real than something imagined by a diseased mind. The same is true of these tablets on which I write, and all the solid realities of Flatland itself. They seem no better than the creations of a diseased imagination, or the groundless fabric of a dream.