Time for Part Five of my serialization of The Time Machine, first published in 1895 but truly a Tale for Our Time. H G Wells set his story in the year 802,701, but, if you've read my book After America, you'll know I regard it as a pretty reliable guide to the early 21st century. In tonight's episode, our Time-Traveler gets to know the Eloi:
The several big palaces I had explored were mere living places, great dining-halls and sleeping apartments. I could find no machinery, no appliances of any kind. Yet these people were clothed in pleasant fabrics that must at times need renewal, and their sandals, though undecorated, were fairly complex specimens of metalwork. Somehow such things must be made. And the little people displayed no vestige of a creative tendency. There were no shops, no workshops, no sign of importations among them. They spent all their time in playing gently, in bathing in the river, in making love in a half-playful fashion, in eating fruit and sleeping. I could not see how things were kept going.
A society of indolent sensual fruitarians of no economic value. Hmm...
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear Part Five of our adventure simply by clicking here and logging-in. Earlier episodes can be found here down the page and in reverse order. Thank you for all those who signed up as Founding Members of our new club. Founder Membership is now closed, but we do have Premium Membership and, if you've a friend or family member you'd like to sign up, Gift Membership.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, I'll be back on air with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, live coat to coast at 8pm Eastern/5pm Pacific.
See you for Part Six of The Time Machine tomorrow.
