And of course she had studied the civilization that had immediately preceded her own – the civilization that had mistaken the functions of the system, and had used it for bringing people to things, instead of things to people. Those funny old days, when men went for change of air instead of changing the air in their rooms!

Few travelled in these days, for, thanks to the advance of science, the earth was exactly alike all over. Rapid intercourse, from which the previous civilization had hoped so much, had ended by defeating itself. What was the good of going to Peking when it was just like Shrewsbury? Why return to Shrewsbury when it would all be like Peking? Men seldom moved their bodies; all unrest was concentrated in the soul.

[When the airships were built] the desire to look direct at things still lingered in the world.

People never touched one another. The custom had become obsolete, owing to the Machine.