New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-04
THE HOLLOW EARTH.
A CURIOUS FICTION FROM THE TOWN OF
JOHN CLEVES SYMMES.

History Of Mysterious Being and the Account .S
Manuscript TO Llewellyn Drury. Who Promised
TO Print the Same bit Finally Eva hy 1d the Hg r
Lloyd. With Many illustrations by Augus,n us
and Published by John Ur Lloyd, Cincinnati.
The theme of this book associates 1t with a work
bv n Cincinnatan OF old times. which has now at
tanned worldwide fame. The speculations OF John
Cleves Symmes as to a habitable interior OF the
earth reached by openings at the poles were inter-
estng II they were not true. and they were SO
plausible to minds OF certain persons that moro
than one Arctic explorer has been asked TO take
note Of phenomena In the far North which might
bear upon Symmess theory.
Aside from a rather shallow occultism. Mr. Lloyds
book bears relations TO the acience OF the present
day similar to those which Symmess book bore to
the physical and geographical knowledge OF pre-
vious age The earth is hollow for him Also but in
the same way and for much the same reason that a
soap bubble is hollow. 1t Is mere accident that
the flmy exterior OF this vast bubble Is penetrated
at one point by a narrow crevice This crevice Is
not real rift for II is filled with air. and nj one
point completely shut By river. THIS tortuous,
cavernous passage Is proportionately less OF an
opening In the earth than would be made BY the
finest needle in the paper surface OF two-foot
globe The film, though Of triing thickness COM
pared with the diameter OF the EARTH Is quite sub
stantial when measured by the ordinary man
capacity for walking. There are also vast openings
In it, limbos OF strange beasts and plants. oceans
as large as some above ground and indescribaby
more placid. Beings OF human shape are 10 be
found there whose only obvious popularity Is that
they are devoid OF the organs Of sight. In the
depths Of the earth the ordinary movements OF
a living body almost cease; breathing. the beating
of the heart and SO on are reduced to a minimum.
Gravtaton Is much less that a man Almost
floats in the air. and he swms the earth
l,,,AN old ~ tbc Inv " prt0
other without any inconvenience The whole In
terror is filed with light, the earth-shlne and tho
wonders OF the vast cavity are but the Introduction
to a spirit world OF which Mr. Lloyd gives only
glimpse.
There many illusions to theories and dis
coveries In science. For example the author In
ssts that man may his brain. OF course.
he had no reference to the rays OF R0ntgen. His
device is Of the kind suggested in "dud!bras.
where
Men Of inward light
To their optics In upon't"
By simply reversing the process OF sight and using
a candle TO help the movement. Mr. Lloyd pictured
his own BRAIN II Is easy 10 discover That the
puzzle which he propounds has an explanation quite
different from that which he gives H. Matter does
not exist for the author OF this book. 1t is merely
one aspect OF infinite motion Mr.. Lloyd takes de-
light In proving the paradox that under certain
natural conditions water rises above Its source He
dwells on the contradictory characteristics OF the
ether which Is supposed TO pervade the universe
and In connection with that recalls the memory OF
one OF Cinc.nnats most famous and most neglected
men. the deeply original strangely eccentric Daniel
Vaughn Other names familiar 10 Cincinnati life
occur In the volume. so that It has qualities OF
various kinds not usual In mere fiction.
The early adventures OF the hero remind OF
the historic career OF Morgan. the apostate from
Masonry. There quaint theories 10 origin
OF volcanoes to inherent energy to perception
u,i.h oue no "a NJ q
other themes The author is not expert in literary
style but in spite OF this defect. his book has the
interest which belongs 10 an original vein OF thought
and fancy. The illustrations remarkable in
purpose and execution the text. No suggestion
OF the author Is so far from the known aspect o,
things 10 prevent the artist from giving /, ar
air OF nationality or even tlnge OF the common
place. One Earring note that through the whole
book embodied In the phrase "The-Man- Who Did
It," should be omitted. 1t has meaning. ard Il
puts the author Of the book in absurd attitude
before readers who will certainly be impressed by
his powers OF Imagination.