22 



HUMANISM 



But did they not recognize what I said, and my 

 manner of saying it? 



Not so as to feel sure. 



And did they not think your whole account intrinsically 

 probable and consistent ? 



I hope I made it appear so. 



Surely they did not think that you could invent a 

 world like mine ? 



I suppose they thought I might have dreamt it. 



What, a world so much better, more beautiful, co 

 herent and rational, and, in two words, more real, than 

 that in which they lived ? 



There is nothing in all this to make it seem less of a 

 dream rather than more. 



Do you think they will believe you after this second 

 visit ? 



I doubt it. Why should they ? 



It would seem, then, that we have no means of con 

 vincing these wretches of the truth. 



I fear not ; so long as they can reasonably maintain 

 that it is no truth at all. 



You do not surely propose to defend their conduct ? 



No, but I think it is by no means as unreasonable as 

 you suppose. 



I see that you are preparing to assert a greater 

 paradox than ever I listened to from Zeno. 



I am afraid that it may appear such. 



Will you not quickly utter it ? You see how keenly 

 Aristotle is watching you, like a noble dog straining at 

 the leash. 



Let me say this, then, that though I can no more 

 doubt your existence and that of the lovely world wherein 

 you abide than I can my own, yet I cannot blame my 

 fellow -men for refusing to credit all this on my sole 

 assertion. They have not seen you, nor can they, seeing 

 that you will neither descend to them nor can they rise 

 to you. Your world and theirs have nothing in common, 

 and so do not exist for each other. 



You forget yourself, my friend. 



