Worlds Apart

by Alexander Levitsky

  “And here’s to the vine!” I said, pouring myself a goblet and drinking to the health of the company. The wine seemed to have a remarkable taste: it had the sparkle and mildness of Champagne with the body of Burgundy, and an enchanting bouquet.

  “Tell me. Gentlemen,” I inquired, “does man’s improved condition still permit the use of wine?”

  “In vino veritas!” said the president of the Kamchatka Academy of Sciences with dignity. At these words, all the goblets were filled and then emptied to my health.

  “That is in our manner,” I thought.

  Finally, the attendants cleared the table, leaving only fruit, hors-d’oeuvres, and wine. Then the professor rose from his chair, stepped to the wall, pressed a spring, and charming music like the sound of several harps captured my ears. < … > I was especially taken by the geographic maps which the president of the Kamchatka Academy of Sciences interpreted for me. All the areas in Asia, Africa, America, and Australia which in our time had been indicated as empty and uninhabited were now dotted with the names of cities and canals. Near the Poles were large islands as heavily populated as France in our time. In addition, I was surprised to see that all the rivers had straight courses, like canals. The president told me that now all rivers are navigable: the banks were excavated and made into straight lines to protect improved areas from floods and to provide large expanses of land for agriculture; the canals had drained all marshes and provided a new means of transportation over the entire globe. In the meantime the sun had descended and in a moment all the buildings and streets were lighted by gas. < … >

  [The Eskimo prince whom I met at the reception invited me to travel with him the next morning to his native land on the admiral’s ship, which] was built of bronze plates welded together and stretched with screws. Air cannons, aquatic purifiers, a chemical kitchen heated with gas, and the ship’s ability to obtain food supplies on the sea floor were the reason that the ship was not weighted down by a heavy cargo. < … > The wind was following and we flew like an arrow over the open sea. The next day we were at the latitude of Icy Cape. In our day this was the limit of human discovery beyond Bering Strait and only a few Russian navigators had dared to advance beyond Cook’s route into these seas which were bordered with ice on the north. In our day, nature, sunk here in its chill sleep, produced nothing to enhance human life, and was as stern as its eternal ice and cliffs. Now fruit trees and grape vines were green on the hillsides; golden towers and steeples, splendid buildings and ships’ masts in the port gave evidence of this country’s flourishing state. The city on Icy Cape was called Cook’s Discovery. We had no time to stop here; but the prince, who noticed my curiosity, said with a smile that if I wanted to see the city then he would bring it to me aboard the ship in one minute, in spite of the fact that it was twenty miles away. Immediately a camera equipped with an enormous telescope was hoisted onto a mast: several convex and concave mirrors set at various angles which reflected objects with astonishing precision presented us with a view of the entire city through a dark tube as though it was on a table before us (exactly like a model) with its inhabitants, carriages and all the city’s activities. < … > I [also] looked at the moon through the telescope and saw cities, fortresses, mountains, woods, just like the regions of Strasbourg with its cathedral. Animals moved like ants over the moon, but it was impossible to distinguish their forms and species. Distant stars seemed like Suns in their glory, like ours; an astonishing multitude of Planets of extraordinary size were visible in space. In transport I fell on my knees before the grandeur of Creation. The prince turned the telescope to the open sea and a space of thousands of miles disappeared, the goal of our journey, the Polar Country, seemed so close that involuntarily I started, thinking that we were about to crash onto its shore. < … >

  Finally, we entered the polar archipelago. Just as we approached its shores the barometer indicated the coming of a storm. The prince immediately ordered the fleet to descend to the sea’s floor. In a moment the masts were folded, the wheels covered, portholes sealed, with the exception of several openings with valves to allow water to enter a special container in the hold, and the ship began to descend to the ocean floor. When it had reached a certain depth, the valves were closed, engines were started, and the ship quickly moved forward. Inside the ship it was light enough and I felt no difficulty breathing; the air reserves and purifiers were operated incessantly. I never left the window and I delighted in the novel sights before me. Fish and other sea life swirled in schools next to the ship and all one had to do was cast a net to capture enough food for a year. In the meantime the sea’s motion had become palpable under the water, and the prince gave the command to fire a signal from the air cannon to drop anchor. All the other ships repeated their signals and dropped anchor. Our ship had stopped next to an underwater plantation belonging to a rich inhabitant of the polar countries. I wanted very much to inspect this new type of sea floor estate which in our day had belonged to seals, crabs and oysters. The prince told me to dress myself in an air suit equipped with two air bags and placed me on an underwater bench which he taught me to operate. He did not forget to send an experienced diver with me as an escort. When I was ready for my journey, I was placed next to a door, which was then unlocked. I and my guide were expelled into the water, and the door was quickly locked behind us. As I settled to the bottom of the sea, I saw that it was divided by stone walls, and in places by columns with inscriptions which marked property lines, while here and there were pyramidal structures. The guide informed me that these were underwater houses, like our farms, where workers and proprietors lived after their labors or excursions. All around me were fields of sea plants and huge square structures with iron grills in the place of roofs. I looked into some of them to see they were underwater cages filled with various fish, underwater animals, oysters, etc. Suddenly I heard the sound of a bell emanating from one of the pyramids. The guide told me that this was a form of invitation and we hurried toward the door at its base; it opened and we entered. There were several feet of water in the lower floor which a mechanical pump was removing. We dismounted our benches and climbed a stairway to the second floor where the workers lived; there was no water here, nor was there any on the magnificently decorated third floor, where lived the owner and a few of his friends. When he learned who I was, the host conducted me through the rooms, showing me all the operation of the underwater home and explaining how it was built. The pyramid rested on the firmest foundation made of stone blocks reinforced by iron bands and lead; the windows were made of thick glass with iron grills. When the structure had been completed, the water was pumped out of its interior and pipes were extended to introduce air. Near the shore these pipes emerged on the surface of the water, while in the open sea a special pyramid projecting from the water had been erected to which were sent all the pipes from the underwater structures. Air pumps aided the circulation of the atmosphere and from my experiences I discovered that the air was much purer in the underwater houses than it was on the surface. After conversing for some time with the master of the house and his friends, I returned to the ship. In the meantime the storm had passed and the prince ordered his fleet to rise to the surface. Mechanical pumps were immediately put into action; as water was removed from the hold the ship rose and soon it floated on the surface of the sea. Everything was put into its previous order and a half an hour later we dropped anchor at Parry City, the capital of the Polar Empire.

  The prince took me with him into town and I was even more astonished than I had been with Hope City. Here all the houses were built of thick masses of the purest glass. The walls were covered with bas-reliefs of different colors, and reflecting the sun they seemed to be enveloped in flame. At every step charming porticoes, temples, and noble buildings with colored columns attracted and delighted my eyes. The roadway was made of some gleaming metal like zinc. The Prince, although he was occupied with greeting the happy people who came to meet him, noticed my surprise:

  “It seems
strange to you that you don’t see iron buildings here as in Hope City. We have little iron, and therefore, rather than employing imported products, we turn to our own industry. Our mountains abound in materials to make glass, and since it is simple to extract it from the earth with the help of fire, we have transformed mountains into glass by means of the powerful action of burning hydrogen gas, and with minimal labor we have the strongest possible building material. Glass houses are sturdy, handsome, fireproof, resistant to mildew, and easily heated by small gas fires.” < … > Self-propelled vehicles were as common here as in Hope City; in addition many people were dashing through the streets in running boots. These were nothing other than iron boots with springs and wheels under the surface; when they were wound up, they moved by themselves, and pedestrians were transported on them from place to place as easily as on skates, accelerating and decelerating at will. < … >

  [After being shown many more wonders at Parry City, I was invited to to the prince’s residence, where I met the king of the polar countries, who asked me if I wishes to remain there or return to St. Petersburg, my native city. Upon learning of my preference for the latter, the king appointed me to become his literary correspondent in that Capital of Enlightenment, and provided me with ample resources to live in the future of my own native land. An air coach was leaving the Parry City that very evening and I chose to go with it.]

  We were underway forty eight hours. The land lay below me like a map with shading for forests, water, and cities. On the third morning we saw the Gulf of Finland, Kronshtat and St. Petersburg, and then dropped somewhat lower. My heart beat with joy to see the golden roofs, the buildings, cupolas, and towers of my native city. Its extent astounded me; broad streets and great buildings extended as far as Pulkovo Hill, to the sea, and far inland. On the hill rose a monument resembling an Egyptian pyramid. I was told that it was a monument to the great memories of the 19th century. Finally, the air coach landed, and I, after kissing my native soil, set off for the city to find an apartment. < … >

  (1824) Translated by Leland Fetzer, ed. by A.L.

  Vladimir Fyodorovich Odoevsky

  (1803–1869)

  ___________________________________

  The Year 4338

  Letters from St. Petersburg

  [ABRIDGED]

  FOREWORD

  Note. These letters were delivered to the individual whose name appears below by a man remarkable in many respects (he chooses not to make his name known). Engaged many years in experiments with mesmerism, he finally achieved such skill in this art that he can at will place himself in a somnambulistic trance; most curious of all he can in advance select the subject of his mesmeric vision.

  In this manner he can transport himself to any country and period of time or transform himself into any individual he wishes without any effort at all; his native skill, refined by lengthy exercise, allows him to narrate or transcribe what his magnetic fantasy perceives; when he awakes he has forgotten it all and he himself, to say the least, reads with curiosity what he has written. Astronomers’ calculations, which indicate that in the year 4339, that is 2500 years from now, Biela’s Comet must certainly collide with the Earth, strongly agitated our somnambulist; he wanted to know the condition of the human race one year before that terrible minute; what will people be saying about the Comet, what kind of impression will it make upon mankind, in general, what will be the customs and manner of life; what form will man’s strongest emotions take: ambition, curiosity, love; with this purpose he plunged into a somnambulistic state which continued for a lengthy period; when he emerged from it he saw before him pages covered with his own handwriting from which he discovered that during his trance he was a Chinese in the 44th century traveling through Russia and corresponding very assiduously with a friend who remained in Peking. < …>

  Current accomplishments in chemistry have made the invention of an elastic glass, such as once was offered to Nero, which is a fact accepted by all historians, a real possibility—it would meet a great need in contemporary industry. The medical use of gasses must also someday become a daily occurrence, just as pepper, vanilla, alcohol, coffee, and tobacco were employed only as medicines at one time. The future of air ships is beyond doubt; in our age we have seen the use of steam, discovered as the result of a weight laid on a tea kettle, extended to industry and there is little reason to doubt that perhaps before the 19th century ends, air ships will be common and will alter social life a thousand times more than the steam engine and railroads. In a word, my friend continued, in the story of my Chinese I find nothing which cannot be deduced in a natural fashion from the general laws of the development of man’s powers in nature and art. Therefore, my fantasy should not be accused of excessive exaggeration.

  We have found it essential to append these lines as a foreword to the letters which follow.

  Prince V. Odoevsky, [1839]

  From: Hypolite Tsungiev, student of the Central Peking University,

  To: Lingin, student of the same university.

  FIRST LETTER

  St. Petersburg, January 4, 4338

  Finally I am at the capital of the Russian hemisphere and world Enlightenment. I’m writing to you in a beautiful building on whose rounded dome the words “Hotel for Air Travelers” is written in great crystal letters. Such is the custom here: the larger houses are roofed with glass or covered with clear tiles, while the name of the owner is shown in colored glass. At night when the houses are lighted within, these gleaming ranks of roofs are enchanting; besides, it’s very useful—not like with us in Peking, where at night you can’t find the home of your friend and have to drop down to earth. We had a quiet air journey; although the local air ships are well built, we were frequently detained by head winds. Imagine, it required eight days to reach here from Peking! What a city, my dear friend, what splendor, what immensity! As I flew over it I could believe the legendary account that once there were two cities, one called Moscow, and the other St. Petersburg, and they were separated from each other by a great open plain. It’s true that there is something distinctive about the architecture in that part of the city called the Moscow District, where the stately ruins of the ancient Kremlin still stand. By the way, don’t expect a great deal of news from me; I hardly had time to look closely at anything because my uncle constantly pushed me on. I had time to note only one thing: that the air lanes are maintained here in excellent order, and I nearly forgot, we flew to the equator, but only for a brief time to inspect the heating system which extends from there into nearly all of the northern hemisphere. Indeed a remarkable project, the work of centuries of scientists! Imagine, huge machines constantly drive hot air through pipes which are connected with major reservoirs, heat storage depots constructed in every city of this expansive state are connected with the reservoirs, and from the city depots the warm air is conducted either into buildings or covered gardens or in part into the open air so that at no time, in spite of the severe climate, we were hardly aware of the cold. In this way the Russians have even conquered their inhospitable climate! I heard that, on the other hand, an association of Russian industrialists offered to deliver cold Russian air to our government to cool the streets of Peking. But enough of that now; everyone here is concerned about the Comet which must destroy our Earth a year from now. You know that my uncle was sent here to St. Petersburg by our Emperor to negotiate precisely on this subject. Several meetings of diplomats have already taken place. Our primary concern is to inspect the measures which have been taken to prevent that disaster, and secondly to take China into the alliance of states which has been formed for mutual assistance in the case of such an event. By the way, scientists here remain calm and state firmly that if only the workers do not lose heart when operating the equipment, it will be possible to prevent the Comet’s collision with the Earth; we must only know in advance the exact point of collision, and astronomers have promised to calculate that precisely as soon as the Comet is visible in a telescope. In one of my next letters,
I will describe for you all the measures taken here by the government in such a case. What knowledge! What perception! The learning, and even more the ingenuity of these people is amazing! It’s obvious at every step; on the basis of the manner alone in which they have prepared for the Comet’s fall you can judge them. < … >

  SECOND LETTER

  One of the local scientists, Mr. Khartin, yesterday conducted me to the local Museum, which occupies a huge building which resembles a whole city on an island in the river Neva. Numerous bridges link the river’s banks; from my windows I can see the huge water barrier which protects the low-lying part of St. Petersburg from floods. The nearest island, which in ancient times was called Vasilevski Island, also belongs to the Museum. It is now a huge covered garden where trees and shrubbery grow, and various wild animals roam unrestrained in enclosures. The garden is a masterpiece of art! It is built on arches which are slowly heated, so that only a few paces separate a tropical climate from a temperate one. In a word, the garden is a sample of the entire planet; to walk through it is to make a journey around the world. The products of all countries are collected here in the order in which they exist on the Earth. In addition, a huge heated pool which contains many rare fish and amphibians has been constructed in the center building belonging to the Museum, right on the Neva. On both sides of it are mounted exhibits from the natural world shown in chronological order, from the antediluvian period to our own times. As I examined them, in even cursory fashion, I understood how Russian scientists had acquired such remarkable knowledge. All that is necessary is to visit the Museum and without resorting to books you can become an informed naturalist. There is a remarkable collection of animals here too … how many species have disappeared from the face of the Earth or changed their forms! I was especially struck by a rare exhibit of a giant horse which even had its hair. It quite resembled the horses which ladies today keep along with their lap dogs, but these horses were of an enormous size: I could barely reach its head. < … >