SECTION 1. -- Of the Nature of Flatland

I call our earth Flatland, not because we cal it so, but to do its nature clearer to you, my happy readers, who are privileged to live in Space.

Imagine a huge sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and another figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, come freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it, really more like shadows -- only hard with aglow edges -- and you wish then have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen. Alas, a few years ago, I should have aforesaid "my universe": but now my mind has been opened to higher views of things.

In such a country, you wish perceive at once that it is impossible