The Time Machine

By Wells, Herbert George

Book Id: WPLBN0000164951
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 0.7 MB
Reproduction Date: 2005

Title:	The Time Machine
Author:	Wells, Herbert George
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Literature, Literature & thought, Writing.
Collections:	Classic Literature Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	World Ebook Library


Citation APA MLA Chicago Wells, H. G. (n.d.). The Time Machine. Retrieved from http://self.gutenberg.org/

Excerpt
The Time Traveller (for so it will be convenient to speak ofhim) was expounding a recondite matter to us. His grey eyesshone and twinkled, and his usually pale face was flushed andanimated. The fire burned brightly, and the soft radiance of the incandescent lights in the lilies of silver caught the bubblesthat flashed and passed in our glasses. Our chairs, being hispatents, embraced and caressed us rather than submitted to be satupon, and there was that luxurious after-dinner atmosphere whenthought roams gracefully free of the trammels of precision. Andhe put it to us in this way -- marking the points with a leanforefinger -- as we sat and lazily admired his earnestness overthis new paradox (as we thought it:) and his fecundity. ‘You must follow me carefully. I shall have to controvert oneor two ideas that are almost universally accepted. The geometry,for instance, they taught you at school is founded on amisconception.’ ‘ Is not that rather a large thing to expect us to begin upon?’said Filby, an argumentative person with red hair. ‘ I do not mean to ask you to accept anything without reasonableground for it. You will soon admit as much as I need from you.You know of course that a mathematical line, a line of thicknessNIL, has no real existence. They taught you that? Neither hasa mathematical plane. These things are mere abstractions.’ ‘That is all right,’ said the Psychologist. ‘Nor, having only length, breadth, and thickness, can a cubehave a real existence.’ ‘There I object,’ said Filby. ‘Of course a solid body mayexist. All real things -- ’ ‘So most people think. But wait a moment. Can anINSTANTANEOUS cube exist?’ ‘Don’t follow you,’ said Filby. ‘Can a cube that does not last for any time at all, have a realexistence?’ Filby became pensive. ‘Clearly,’ the Time Traveller proceeded,‘any real body must have extension in FOUR directions: it musthave Length, Breadth, Thickness, and -- Duration.

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