of forehead, not receding like the Celtic—the
same even roundness in the frontal organs; but it
is far loftier in the apex, and far less pronounced
in the hinder cranial hemisphere where phrenologists
place the animal organs. To speak as a phrenologist,
the cranium common to the Vril-ya has the organs of
weight, number, tune, form, order, causality, very
largely developed; that of construction much more pronounced
than that of ideality. Those which are called
the moral organs, such as conscientiousness and benevolence,
are amazingly full; amativeness and combativeness
are both small; adhesiveness large; the organ of destructiveness
(i.e., of determined clearance of intervening obstacles)
immense, but less than that of benevolence; and their
philoprogenitiveness takes rather the character of
compassion and tenderness to things that need aid
or protection than of the animal love of offspring.
I never met with one person deformed or misshapen.
The beauty of their countenances is not only in symmetry
of feature, but in a smoothness of surface, which
continues without line or wrinkle to the extreme of
old age, and a serene sweetness of expression, combined
with that majesty which seems to come from consciousness
of power and the freedom of all terror, physical or
moral. It is that very sweetness, combined with
that majesty, which inspired in a beholder like myself,
accustomed to strive with the passions of mankind,
a sentiment of humiliation, of awe, of dread.
It is such an expression as a painter might give to
a demi-god, a genius, an angel. The males of the
Vril-ya are entirely beardless; the Gy-ei sometimes,
in old age, develop a small moustache.
I was surprised to find that the colour of their skin
was not uniformly that which I had remarked in those
individuals whom I had first encountered,—some
being much fairer, and even with blue eyes, and hair
of a deep golden auburn, though still of complexions
warmer or richer in tone than persons in the north
of Europe.
I was told that this admixture of colouring arose
from intermarriage with other and more distant tribes
of the Vril-ya, who, whether by the accident of climate
or early distinction of race, were of fairer hues
than the tribes of which this community formed one.
It was considered that the dark-red skin showed the
most ancient family of Ana; but they attached no sentiment
of pride to that antiquity, and, on the contrary,
believed their present excellence of breed came from
frequent crossing with other families differing, yet
akin; and they encourage such intermarriages, always
provided that it be with the Vril-ya nations.
Nations which, not conforming their manners and institutions
to those of the Vril-ya, nor indeed held capable of
acquiring the powers over the vril agencies which
it had taken them generations to attain and transmit,
were regarded with more disdain than the citizens of
New York regard the negroes.