ating the faults of men of talent, would have laid
them open to the promptings of evil spirits, by whom, perhaps, under the
guise of beneficence, they would have been led to use the powers of good
for purposes of evil. Our very progress would have given strength to
powerful bad men, and my system, in spite of improvements, would have
carried within it the cause for its own eventual destruction.

Many beautiful systems had been tried in Montalluyah, but, from
inattention to small details, they had perished. The men who used for
evil purpose powers given them for good, have unknowingly laboured to
their own destruction and that of the highly civilized communities where
they dwelt; which have thus been swept from the face of the earth.

They had tasted the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge before they had been
thoroughly disciplined in the powers of resistance and of self-denial.
Hence the wholesome food was changed to poison; the sweet waters were
made bitter; the stream, which in its fullness bore fertility and
refreshment, burst its banks, and carried destruction everywhere.

So was it even with the priests of one of our ancient religions, who had
the custody of great secrets intended for good. During a time extending
over some generations, they practised the virtues they inculcated, and
used their power for a beneficial end. They increased their power by
their virtue and goodness; but their successors, from whose natures the
minute germs of physical and mental perversity had not been removed,
used their increased might for evil purposes, enervating to the
governing will, and to the directing powers necessary to guide an
irresistible force.

It is known that the results of every act, whether good or evil, will be
felt for all time. The result of evil was likened in Montalluyah to a
virulent disease, which had its beginning in a minute germ; a good act
to an ear of nourishing corn, that goes on propagating till it has
supplied nations with food.

It was not enough that my laws worked with the beauty, regularity, and
unity of a well-balanced machine, the parts of which assisted each other
in attaining the immediate object of its construction. The political and
social machine possessed also the faculty of acquiring at every movement
increased powers of production.

I had satisfied myself that amongst the numerous precautions to be taken
to secure the highest degree of beauty, power, and intelligence in
adults, on which