The Time Machine - International World History Project

The Time Machine‘Seeing the ease and security in which these peoplewere living, I felt that this close resemblance of the sexeswas after all what one would expect; for the strength of aman and the softness of a woman, the institution of thefamily, and the differentiation of occupations are meremilitant necessities of an age of physical force; wherepopulation is balanced and abundant, much childbearingbecomes an evil rather than a blessing to the State; whereviolence comes but rarely and off-spring are secure, thereis less necessity—indeed there is no necessity—for anefficient family, and the specialization of the sexes withreference to their children’s needs disappears. We see somebeginnings of this even in our own time, and in this futureage it was complete. This, I must remind you, was myspeculation at the time. Later, I was to appreciate how farit fell short of the reality.‘While I was musing upon these things, my attentionwas attracted by a pretty little structure, like a well under acupola. I thought in a transitory way of the oddness ofwells still existing, and then resumed the thread of myspeculations. There were no large buildings towards thetop of the hill, and as my walking powers were evidentlymiraculous, I was presently left alone for the first time.46 of 148