"Telepathy," continued Arletta, "proved to be one of the greatest
factors for good utilized by our people. Through its agency we not only
found that it was the most natural and complete way to converse with one
another, but also learned to think collectively as well as singly.
"The brain is both a receiver and transmitter of thought, and all minds
are directly connected with each other by an invisible force. Thought is
an element of life and exists everywhere; it is not originated by the
mind, but is a utility for it. Thoughts are sustenance for the brain, as
air is for the lungs, or food for the appetite; they are good and bad in
quality, and it is within man's power to accept or reject them at will.
By admitting good and repelling bad thoughts, the brain acquires moral
as well as mental strength but vice versa it is poisoned, and degeneracy
is sure to follow.
"Nature created both the mountains and the thoughts; look and you can
see those lofty hills; think and you can receive inspiring thoughts.
Shut your eyes and you cannot see; close your brain and you cannot
think. The broader the mind, the greater the ideas to enter. Ignorance
is bred from a closed brain; intelligence from an open one. He who is
incapable of thinking is like the blind who cannot see or the deaf who
cannot hear. The thought is the mightiest force for good or evil,
humanity has to contend with; time is measured by it and pure meditation
makes the days short and sweet, while evil notions lengthen and
depreciate them. The mind that retains good ideas and refuses bad ones
is of incalculable value to mankind for it has an instantaneous effect
upon other minds in all parts of the earth.
"It is easier for many minds working in harmony together to grasp a
thought, than for the single brain to receive it without aid. No one
earthly being ever conceived a great idea unassisted. One might have
believed and proclaimed the origin of an idea, but unknown and
innumerable others secretly aided in its conception. The strongest
intellect, however, retained and gave it to the world, and he who
accepts, practices and impresses the thought upon others, deserves the
credit thereof.
"It took several generations of continuous experimentation by the
Sagemen to acquire the fundamental principles of telepathy and many more
to establish the custom of conversing with the mind instead of the
voice. In the beginning, the evil ones looked upon the practice with
horror, for it was impossible to conceal anything from their fellow
beings. But this very fact alone caused them to keep clean and allow no
impure thoughts to enter their minds that would lower them in the
estimation of their associates, and after a few generations of active
use it was accepted as one of the great benefits of nature.
"Whenever a great problem confronted the nation, a hundred or more of
our deepest thinkers would simultaneously concentrate their mental
forces upon it, and if unsuccessful in reaching a satisfactory
conclusion, then the whole people would devote an hour each day upon it
until finally solved. Thus in thought as well as in action we labored
together as a unit, harmoniously working out vast ideas that never could
have been conceived by a single brain, and each mortal receiving an
equal share of the many blessings derived therefrom.
"And there again is where your individual system retards natural
progress. A little Apeman receives part of one of nature's ideas. His
immature brain is incapable of receiving the whole of it so he spends
his entire life stumbling along in the dark, vainly searching for the
remainder. Sometimes he becomes insane or dies under the strain of the
burden, and mankind loses the portion he had already understood. It was
his greedy desire that caused him to struggle alone for something that
many minds could easily have brought forth had they been called to his
assistance. But no, his purpose was not to aid humanity, but get money
and the power to wield over his fellow creatures by accepting and having
patented for himself one of nature's gifts.
"And then again one of your little Apemen finally does conceive a good
idea, or part of one, after thirty years, more or less, of constant
strain upon his mental faculties. So the progress of the world must be
held in check for that length of time for an invention that could have
been produced and put into useful operation by the combined efforts of
many minds in a few days, weeks or months. But it is the individual
system and not the individual himself which causes this stupendous waste
of time and power, and as long as it is kept in force the leakage of
human progress will naturally be beyond calculation.
"It seems a pity," said Arletta, looking at me sympathetically, "that
your brain is not sufficiently developed to enable you to grasp the
magnificent principle of life as it was understood by the Sage-men, but
it would be as hard for you to comprehend an attempted explanation of
the whole subject as it would be for a monkey to understand algebra. So
I have to be content with impressing upon your little intellect just as
much as it will absorb.
"But come, you look tired, let us partake of some refreshments. And
remember, do not overload your stomach."