"That reminds me of our Caskian friends," said Severnius. "They have exceedingly well-ordered homes, but occasionally one of the three Natures waits upon another; the Mind may yield to some contingency connected with the Body, or the Body waive its right in favor of the Spirit." "I had supposed they were more machine-like," commented Elodia, with her usual air of not being able to take a great interest in the Caskians. "They are the farthest from that of any people I know," he answered. "They have great moments, now and then, when a few people are gathered together, and their thought becomes electrical and their minds mingle as you have seen the glances of eyes mingle in a language more eloquent than speech,--and, to tell the truth, we ourselves have such moments, I'll not deny that; but the difference is, that they appreciate the value of them and hold them fast, while we open our hands and let them fly away like uncoveted birds, or worthless butterflies. I have actually known a meal to be dropped out entirely in Calypso's house, forgotten in the felicity of an intellectual or spiritual delectation!" "Thank heaven, that we live in Thursia!" cried Elodia, "where such lapses are impossible." "They are next to impossible there," said Severnius; "but they do happen, which proves a great deal. They are in the nature of miracles, they are so wonderful,--and yet not so wonderful. We forget sometimes that we have a soul, and they forget that they have a body; there's no great difference." "There is a mighty difference," answered Elodia. "We are put into a material world, to enjoy material benefits. I should think those people would miss a great deal of the actual good of life in the pursuit of the unactual,--always taking their flights from lofty pinnacles, and skipping the treasures that lie in the valleys." "On the contrary," he returned, "the humblest little flower that grows, the tiniest pebble they pick up on the beach, the smallest voice in nature, all have place in their economy. They miss nothing; they gather up into their lives all the treasures that nature scatters about. If a bird sings, they listen and say, 'That song is for me;' or, if a blossom opens, 'I will take its beauty into my heart.' These things, which are free to all, they accept freely. Their physical senses are supplemented,--duplicated as it were, in finer quality,--by exquisite inner perceptions."