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

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

PART I
THIS WORLD

“Be patient, for the world is broad and wide.”

FLATLAND

PART I
THIS WORLD

§ 1.—Of the Nature of Flatland.

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

Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it, very much like shadows—only hard and with luminous edges—and you will then have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen. Alas, a few