SHAPES OF THINGS TO COME-ALDOUS HUXLEY’S GUESS

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1949, Page 7

SHAPES OF THINGS TO COME-ALDOUS HUXLEY’S GUESS

LONDON, February 24

A picture of the world in 2148 A.D.. after a third world war, is drawn by Aldous Huxley in a new novel, “Ape and Essence”. In his own story only New Zealand has escaped “the Thing”, a weapon which devastates the earth. In the book, a group of New Zealand scientists sail to Hollywood, where among the ruins of studios, villas, and shops they find the few remaining people. These have given themselves over to the Devil. 'Die botanist of the party, since he has a liberal theology, doubts the existence of the Devil, but joins the Devilworshippers in order to save himself. He finds a party of people engaged in digging up embalmed bodies from a cemetery to find clothes for themselves.

Mating in Huxley’s future world is seasonal, once a year for a fortnight. A dreadful ray has spread deformity over the land, and most children are born with too many legs or hands. These are ritualistically sacrificed by being speared on forks by priests at the beginning of the mating season, and the mothers lashed and shaved as a punishment for producing them. John Betjeman, writing in the Daily Herald, says of the book: “It is a terrible novel, but terribly good. I strongly recommend it to all scientists, all workers in atomic research stations, and all people who glibly believed that everything is growing better towards a new dawn. But although it is an unforgettable warning of the blackest possible future — a future worse than extinction—remember that it is the work of a cynic who hates the human race. It is full of faith, but has no hope or charity”.