"Герберт Уэллс. The Time Machine (Машина времени, англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

Filby became pensive. `Clearly,' the Time Traveller proceeded, `any real
body must have extension in FOUR directions: it must have Length, Breadth,
Thickness, and-Duration. But through a natural infirmity of the flesh,
which I will explain to you in a moment, we incline to overlook this fact.
There are really four dimensions, three which we call the three planes of
Space, and a fourth, Time. There is, however, a tendency to draw an unreal
distinction between the former three dimensions and the latter, because it
happens that our consciousness moves intermittently in one direction along
the latter from the beginning to the end of our lives.'

`That,' said a very young man, making spasmodic efforts to relight his
cigar over the lamp; `that . . . very clear indeed.'

`Now, it is very remarkable that this is so extensively overlooked,'
continued the Time Traveller, with a slight accession of cheerfulness.
`Really this is what is meant by the Fourth Dimension, though some people
who talk about the Fourth Dimension do not know they mean it. It is only
another way of looking at Time. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TIME AND ANY
OF THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SPACE EXCEPT THAT OUR CONSCIOUSNESS MOVES ALONG
IT. But some foolish people have got hold of the wrong side of that idea.
You have all heard what they have to say about this Fourth Dimension?'

`_I_ have not,' said the Provincial Mayor.

`It is simply this. That Space, as our mathematicians have it, is spoken
of as having three dimensions, which one may call Length, Breadth, and
Thickness, and is always definable by reference to three planes, each at
right angles to the others. But some philosophical people have been asking
why THREE dimensions particularly-why not another direction at right angles
to the other three?-and have even tried to construct a Four-Dimension
geometry. Professor Simon Newcomb was expounding this to the New York
Mathematical Society only a month or so ago. You know how on a flat
surface, which has only two dimensions, we can represent a figure of a
three-dimensional solid, and similarly they think that by models of thee
dimensions they could represent one of four-if they could master the
perspective of the thing. See?'

`I think so,' murmured the Provincial Mayor; and, knitting his brows, he
lapsed into an introspective state, his lips moving as one who repeats
mystic words. `Yes, I think I see it now,' he said after some time,
brightening in a quite transitory manner.

`Well, I do not mind telling you I have been at work upon this geometry
of Four Dimensions for some time. Some of my results are curious. For
instance, here is a portrait of a man at eight years old, another at
fifteen, another at seventeen, another at twenty-three, and so on. All
these are evidently sections, as it were, Three-Dimensional representations
of his Four-Dimensioned being, which is a fixed and unalterable thing.