‘Our present day littérateurs,’ observed Mercia, ‘felicitate themselves that we are in the enjoyment of such an advanced civilisation as the world has never seen in the past, or possible to attain in the future. But thou, Sadbag, seest much to improve in the political arena, and I see much to be discovered in the world of Nature. We have still to learn how to rule the elements. As yet, the winds and the storms, and the waters, are our masters. The time will arrive when these shall be our servants to come and go at our will. The rains it is true now water the earth at our desire, but soon the winds shall be dispersed by our art, and the heaving waves of the ocean shall be made subservient to our will; not by the wand of the sorcerer, but by the hand of that more wonderful magician—Science. When man has made Nature to obey his behests then that extraordinary time shall have arrived that the prophets dreamed of in the far off ages, which they symbolised by the metaphor of the lion and the lamb lying side by side. This, indeed, is the true millennium for which all may ardently pray; for it is the earth-glory awaiting the planet-dwellers of our sun’s system, yea, of every star system throughout the whole of the vast universe.’ Mercia paused, and looked at her friends, as if inquiring if she might proceed. ‘Go on,’ said Sadbag, ‘we delight to listen to thee.’ ‘Ah, it is all very wonderful! The field of science possesses still untrodden paths: mystery upon mystery are yet to be made clear; the hidden secrets of psychology are still in darkness; we know not of what stuff we are made. What is soul—what is mind? We cannot definitely define them: we know only the manner in which these express themselves to our physical nature: the spiritual is wrapped in impenetrable mystery. How is it that one man utters the truths of a prophet, and another can hardly be made to understand what is going on before his eyes? Of course it is a difference in brain-power, the physiologist tells us, but how is it that a more or less quantity of grey brain-substance can give inspiration, knowledge, genius, power, imagination, and even prescience? Who can answer that? When this question is solved then is the chief millennium reached.’