Looking Down on Us with Envious Eyes －嫉妬の目で僕らを見下ろす－

This week I have been rereading the classic science-fiction novel, “The War of the Worlds”, by H.G. Wells.  It was published in 1897.  In addition to containing fascinating ideas, the writing is at times beautifully creepy.  Here are some quotes from the opening to the novel.

 

1

“No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s.”

 

We can be very confident that no aliens are watching us from Mars.  But are there aliens watching us from farther away?

 

2

“as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is possible that the creatures under the microscope do the same.”

 

I hope not.  I don’t want to have to feel guilty about killing billions of microscopic creatures whenever I wash my hands with soap.

 

3

“No one gave a thought to the older worlds of space as sources of human danger… [Across] the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of [the beasts], intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.”

 

Beautifully creepy indeed.

 

Vocabulary:

to scrutinise something – to examine or inspect something closely and thoroughly

[eg., I thought that the money might be fake, so I took time to scrutinise it.]

to be transient – lasting only for a short time; not permanent

[eg., The effects of the drug are transient, so you need to keep taking it.]

complacency – a feeling of satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements, which is not justified or appropriate

[eg., That football team lost their last match due to complacency.  If they had prepared properly, they would have won.]

to be serene – calm, peaceful and untroubled

[eg., Lying on the quiet beach, I felt serene.]