"Yes; but if it should be so destined, the first generation must work hard merely to live--they must be very long ignorant of every thing except a paternal government, and such habitations as can be raised or appropriated most easily. They will be children in comparison to Charles all their lives, if we can but succeed in giving him the ideas of the age we have lived in. Fancy them, Ellen, increased to perhaps fifty inhabitants before he dies, a very old man, coming round his chair to hear of the wonderful steam-engine, and the use of the telescope, and to learn the art of printing, and the list of different languages which Romans, Frenchmen, Germans, Greeks, used; and what lions were, and horses." "Or tell them how he and Alice escaped from the great drought," said Ellen. "But, alas! it is far more likely he and she will perish in it, and then of what use is this knowledge to him?" "Why--his soul. 'It is a thing immortal like thyself;' and if what he knows is of no use here, it will be useful elsewhere." "What!" said Ellen, smiling--"are there railroads and telescopes in another world?" "For aught I can tell. At all events, the powers that contrive them here may contrive something from the same principles hereafter." "But we can tell nothing about the other world," said Ellen. "Nay, this is _another world_ to the stars; and, if we know nothing about our destiny, the only way we have to judge is by what we actually are, and tend to be, now. So, while life remains, I will teach my boy all I know, and go on as a man of this world ought to do; then we shall be ready for every thing."