Flatland (first edition)

by Edwin Abbott Abbott

FLATLAND

A Romance of Many Dimensions

With Illustrations

by the Author, A SQUARE

"Fie, fie, how franticly I square my talk!'

LONDON

SEELEY & Co., 46, 47 & 48, ESSEX STREET, STRAND

(Late of 54 Fleet Street)

1884

To

The Inhabitants of Space in General

And H. C. in Particular

This Work is Dedicated

By a Humble Native of Flatland

In the Hope that

Even as he was Initiated into the Mysteries

Of Three Dimensions

Having been previously conversant

With Only Two

So the Citizens of that Celestial Region

May aspire yet higher and higher

To the Secrets of Four Five or even Six Dimensions

Thereby contributing

To the Enlargement of the Imagination

And the possible Development

Of that most rare and excellent Gift of Modesty

Among the Superior Races

Of Solid Humanity

CONTENTS

PART I

THIS WORLD

Section
1	Of the Nature of Flatland
2	Of the Climate and Houses in Flatland
3	Concerning the Inhabitants of Flatland
4	Concerning the Women
5	Of our Methods of Recognizing one another
6	Of Recognition by Sight
7	Concerning Irregular Figures
8	Of the Ancient Practice of Painting
9	Of the Universal Colour Bill
10	Of the Suppression of the Chromatic Sedition
11	Concerning our Priests
12	Of the Doctrine of our Priests
PART II OTHER WORLDS
Section
13	How I had a Vision of Lineland
14	How in my Vision I endeavoured to explain the nature of Flatland, but could not
15	Concerning a Stranger from Spaceland
16	How the Stranger vainly endeavoured to reveal to me in words the mysteries of Spaceland
17	How the Sphere, having in vain tried words; resorted to deeds
18	How I came to Spaceland and what I saw there
19	How, though the Sphere showed me other mysteries of Spaceland, I still desired more; and what came of it
20	How the Sphere encouraged me in a Vision
21	How I tried to teach the Theory of Three Dimensions to my Grandson, and with what success
22	How I then tried to diffuse the Theory of Three Dimensions by other means, and of the result