Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

CONTENTS Of the Nature of Flatland Of the Climate and Houses in Flatland Concerning the Inhabitants of Flatland Concerning the Women Of our Methods of Recognizing one another Of Recognition by Sight Concerning Irregular Figures Of the Ancient Practice of Painting Of the Universal Colour Bill Of the Suppression of the Chromatic Sedition Concerning our Priests Of the Doctrine of our Priests How I had a Vision of Lineland How I vainly tried to explain the nature of Flatland Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland How the Stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland How the Sphere, having in vain tried words, resorted to deeds How I came to Spaceland, and what I saw there How, though the Sphere shewed me other mysteries of Spaceland How the Sphere encouraged me in a Vision. How I tried to teach the Theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means ............................................................. I call our world Flatland, not because we call it so, but to make its nature clearer to you, my happy readers, who are privileged to live in Space. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it, very much like shadows—only hard with luminous edges—and you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen. Alas, a few years ago, I should have said "my universe:" but now my mind has been opened to higher views of things.