X-Message-Number: 7273
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 20:39:21 -0500 (EST)
From: Robin Helweg-Larsen <>
Subject: Predicting the Future

For no particular reason, I thought you might enjoy the opening of G.K.
Chesterton's fantasy of the future, "The Napoleon of Notting Hill":

"The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing
at children's games from the beginning.... and one of the games to which
it is most attached is called, "Keep tomorrow dark", and which is also
named (by the rustics in Shropshire, I have no doubt) "Cheat the Prophet".
The players listen very carefully and respectfully to all that the clever
men have to say about what is to happen in the next generation.  The
players then wait until all the clever men are dead, and bury them nicely.
They then go and do something else.  That is all.  For a race of simple
tastes, however, it is great fun."

Best wishes,

Robin HL


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7273