TheArtofSightRecognition,beingnolongerneeded,wasnolongerpractised;andthestudiesofGeometry,Statics,Kinetics,andotherkindredsubjects,camesoontobeconsideredsuperfluous,andfeelintodisrespectandneglectevenatourUniversity.
ThentheIsoscelesclasses,assertingthattheSpecimenswerenolongerusednorneeded,andrefusingtopaythecustomarytributefromtheCriminalclassestotheserviceofEducation,waxeddailymorenumerousandmoreinsolentonthestrengthoftheirimmunityfromtheoldburdenwhichhadformerlyexercisedthetwofoldwholesomeeffectofatoncetamingtheirbrutalnatureandthinningtheirexcessivenumbers.
YearbyyeartheSoldiersandArtisansbeganmorevehementlytoassert—andwithincreasingtruth—thattherewasnogreatdifferencebetweenthemandtheveryhighestclassofPolygons,nowthattheywereraisedtoanequalitywiththelatter,andenabledtograpplewithallthedifficultiesandsolvealltheproblemsoflife,whetherStaticalorKinetical,bythesimpleprocessofColourRecognition.
NotcontentwiththenaturalneglectintowhichSightRecognitionwasfalling,theybeganboldlytodemandthelegalprohibitionofall"monopolizingandaristocraticArts"andtheconsequentabolitionofallendowmentsforthestudiesofSightRecognition,Mathematics,andFeeling.
Soon,theybegantoinsistthatinasmuchasColour,whichwasasecondNature,haddestroyedtheneedofaristocraticdistinctions,theLawshouldfollowinthesamepath,andthathenceforthallindividualsandallclassesshouldberecognizedasabsolutelyequalandentitledtoequalrights.
FindingthehigherOrderswaveringandundecided,theleadersoftheRevolutionadvancedstillfurtherintheirrequirements,andatlastdemandedthatallclassesalike,thePriestsandtheWomennotexcepted,shoulddohomagetoColourbysubmittingtobepainted.
WhenitwasobjectedthatPriestsandWomenhadnosides,theyretortedthatNatureandExpediencyconcurredindictatingthatthefronthalfofeveryhumanbeing(thatistosay,thehalfcontaininghiseyeandmouth)shouldbedistinguishablefromhishinderhalf.
TheythereforebroughtbeforeageneralandextraordinaryAssemblyofalltheStatesofFlatlandaBillproposingthatineveryWomanthehalfcontainingtheeyeandmouthshouldbecolouredred,andtheotherhalfgreen.
ThePriestsweretobepaintedinthesameway,redbeingappliedtothatsemicircleinwhichtheeyeandmouthformedthemiddlepoint;whiletheotherorhindersemicirclewastobecolouredgreen.
Therewasnolittlecunninginthisproposal,whichindeedemanatednotfromanyIsosceles—fornobeingsodegradedwouldhaveangularityenoughtoappreciate,muchlesstodevise,suchamodelofstate-craft—butfromanIrregularCirclewho,insteadofbeingdestroyedinhischildhood,wasreservedbyafoolishindulgencetobringdesolationonhiscountryanddestructiononmyriadsoffollowers.
OntheonehandthepropositionwascalculatedtobringtheWomeninallclassesovertothesideoftheChromaticInnovation.
ForbyassigningtotheWomenthesametwocoloursaswereassignedtothePriests,theRevolutioniststherebyensuredthat,incertainpositions,everyWomanwouldappearasaPriest,andbetreatedwithcorrespondingrespectanddeference—aprospectthatcouldnotfailtoattracttheFemaleSexinamass.
ButbysomeofmyReadersthepossibilityoftheidenticalappearanceofPriestsandWomen,underanewLegislation,maynotberecognized;ifso,awordortwowillmakeitobvious.
Imagineawomandulydecorated,accordingtothenewCode;withthefronthalf(i.e.,thehalfcontainingtheeyeandmouth)red,andwiththehinderhalfgreen.Lookatherfromoneside.
NowimagineaPriest,whosemouthisatM,andwhosefrontsemicircle(AMB)isconsequentlycolouredred,whilehishindersemicircleisgreen;sothatthediameterABdividesthegreenfromthered.
IfyoucontemplatetheGreatMansoastohaveyoureyeinthesamestraightlineashisdividingdiameter(AB),whatyouwillseewillbeastraightline(CBD),ofwhichonehalf(CB)willbered,andtheother(BD)green.
Thewholeline(CD)willberathershorterperhapsthanthatofafull-sizedWoman,andwillshadeoffmorerapidlytowardsitsextremities;buttheidentityofthecolourswouldgiveyouanimmediateimpressionofidentityinClass,makingyouneglectfulofotherdetails.
BearinmindthedecayofSightRecognitionwhichthreatenedsocietyatthetimeoftheColourrevolt;addtoothecertaintythatWomanwouldspeedilylearntoshadeofftheirextremitiessoastoimitatetheCircles;itmustthenbesurelyobvioustoyou,mydearReader,thattheColourBillplacedusunderagreatdangerofconfoundingaPriestwithayoungWoman.
Athometheymighthearpoliticalandecclesiasticalsecretsintendednotforthembutfortheirhusbandsandbrothers,andmightevenissuesomecommandsinthenameofapriestlyCircle;outofdoorsthestrikingcombinationofredandgreenwithoutaddditionofanyothercolours,wouldbesuretoleadthecommonpeopleintoendlessmistakes,andtheWomanwouldgainwhatevertheCircleslost,inthedeferenceofthepassersby.
AsforthescandalthatwouldbefalltheCircularClassifthefrivolousandunseemlyconductoftheWomenwereimputedtothem,andastotheconsequentsubversionoftheConstitution,theFemaleSexcouldnotbeexpectedtogiveathoughttotheseconsiderations.
Fromtheirearliestchildhood,familiarizedintheirCircularhouseholdswiththetotalabsenceofColour,theNoblesalonepreservedtheSacredArtofSightRecognition,withalltheadvantagesthatresultfromthatadmirabletrainingoftheintellect.
Hence,uptothedateoftheintroductionoftheUniversalColourBill,theCircleshadnotonlyheldtheirown,butevenincreasedtheirleadoftheotherclassesbyabstinencefromthepopularfashion.
NowthereforetheartfulIrregularwhomIdescribedaboveastherealauthorofthisdiabolicalBill,determinedatoneblowtolowerthestatusoftheHierarchybyforcingthemtosubmittothepollutionofColour,andatthesametimetodestroytheirdomesticopportunitiesoftrainingintheArtofSightRecognition,soastoenfeebletheirintellectsbydeprivingthemoftheirpureandcolourlesshomes.
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