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well…ordered family； and the more they mature a system by which a few
individuals are heated and swollen to a size above the standard
slenderness of the millions； the more they chuckle and exact； and cry out；
'See by what great exceptions to the common littleness of our race we
prove the magnificent results of our system！'〃 69 〃In fact；〃 resumed Zee；
〃if the wisdom of human life be to approximate to the serene equality of
immortals； there can be no more direct flying off into the opposite
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direction than a system which aims at carrying to the utmost the
inequalities and turbulences of mortals。 Nor do I see how； by any
forms of religious belief； mortals； so acting； could fit themselves even to
appreciate the joys of immortals to which they still expect to be
transferred by the mere act of dying。 On the contrary； minds
accustomed to place happiness in things so much the reverse of godlike；
would find the happiness of gods exceedingly dull； and would long to
get back to a world in which they could quarrel with each other。〃
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CHAPTER XVI。
I have spoken so much of the Vril Staff that my reader may expect
me to describe it。 This I cannot do accurately； for I was never allowed to
handle it for fear of some terrible accident occasioned by my ignorance of
its use； and I have no doubt that it requires much skill and practice in the
exercise of its various powers。 It is hollow； and has in the handle several
stops； keys； or springs by which its force can be altered； modified； or
directed… so that by one process it destroys； by another it heals… by one it
can rend the rock； by another disperse the vapour… by one it affects bodies；
by another it can exercise a certain influence over minds。 It is usually
carried in the convenient size of a walking…staff； but it has slides by which
it can be lengthened or shortened at will。 When used for special purposes；
the upper part rests in the hollow of the palm with the fore and middle
fingers protruded。 I was assured； however； that its power was not equal
in all； but proportioned to the amount of certain vril 70properties in the
wearer in affinity； or 'rapport' with the purposes to be effected。 Some
were more potent to destroy； others to heal； &c。； much also depended on
the calm and steadiness of volition in the manipulator。 They assert that
the full exercise of vril power can only be acquired by the constitutional
temperament… i。e。； by hereditarily transmitted organisation… and that a
female infant of four years old belonging to the Vril…ya races can
accomplish feats which a life spent in its practice would not enable the
strongest and most skilled mechanician； born out of the pale of the Vril…ya
to achieve。 All these wands are not equally complicated； those intrusted
to children are much simpler than those borne by sages of either sex； and
constructed with a view to the special object on which the children are
employed； which as I have before said； is among the youngest children the
most destructive。 In the wands of wives and mothers the correlative
destroying force is usually abstracted； the healing power fully charged。 I
wish I could say more in detail of this singular conductor of the vril fluid；
but its machinery is as exquisite as its effects are marvellous。
I should say； however； that this people have invented certain tubes by
which the vril fluid can be conducted towards the object it is meant to
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destroy； throughout a distance almost indefinite； at least I put it modestly
when I say from 500 to 600 miles。 And their mathematical science as
applied to such purpose is so nicely accurate； that on the report of some
observer in an air…boat； any member of the vril department can estimate
unerringly the nature of intervening obstacles； the height to which the
projectile instrument should be raised； and the extent to which it should be
charged； so as to reduce to ashes within a space of time too short for me to
venture to specify it； a capital twice as vast as London。
Certainly these Ana are wonderful mathematicians… wonderful for the
adaptation of the inventive faculty to practical uses。 71 I went with my
host and his daughter Zee over the great public museum； which occupies a
wing in the College of Sages； and in which are hoarded； as curious
specimens of the ignorant and blundering experiments of ancient times；
many contrivances on which we pride ourselves as recent achievements。
In one department； carelessly thrown aside as obsolete lumber； are tubes
for destroying life by metallic balls and an inflammable powder； on the
principle of our cannons and catapults； and even still more murderous than
our latest improvements。
My host spoke of these with a smile of contempt； such as an artillery
officer might bestow on the bows and arrows of the Chinese。 In another
department there were models of vehicles and vessels worked by steam；
and of an air…balloon which might have been constructed by Montgolfier。
〃Such；〃 said Zee； with an air of meditative wisdom… 〃such were the feeble
triflings with nature of our savage forefathers； ere they had even a
glimmering perception of the properties of vril！〃
This young Gy was a magnificent specimen of the muscular force to
which the females of her country attain。 Her features were beautiful； like
those of all her race： never in the upper world have I seen a face so grand
and so faultless； but her devotion to the severer studies had given to her
countenance an expression of abstract thought which rendered it
somewhat stern when in repose； and such a sternness became formidable
when observed in connection with her ample shoulders and lofty stature。
She was tall even for a Gy； and I saw her lift up a cannon as easily as I
could lift a pocket…pistol。 Zee inspired me with a profound terror… a
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terror which increased when we came into a department of the museum
appropriated to models of contrivances worked by the agency of vril； for
here； merely by a certain play of her vril staff； she herself standing at a
distance； she put into movement large and weighty substances。 She
seemed to endow them with intelligence； and to make them 72comprehend
and obey her command。 She set complicated pieces of machinery into
movement； arrested the movement or continued it； until； within an
incredibly short time； various kinds of raw material were reproduced as
symmetrical works of art； complete and perfect。 Whatever effect
mesmerism or electro…biology produces over the nerves and muscles of
animated objects； this young Gy produced by the motions of her slender
rod over the springs and wheels of lifeless mechanism。
When I mentioned to my companions my astonishment at this
influence over inanimate matter… while owning that； in our world； I had
witnessed phenomena which showed that over certain living organisations
certain other living organisations could establish an influence genuine in
itself； but often exaggerated by credulity or craft… Zee； who was more
interested in such subjects than her father； bade me stretch forth my hand；
and then； placing it beside her own； she called my attention to certain
distinctions of type and character。 In the first place； the thumb of the Gy
（and； as