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254 until the cities again became regular dens of vice and corruption.

"Things had got to such a pitch in the year 4200 that there were two distinct factions in every country—the free eaters and those that advocated extreme moderation. The latter being the stronger and more intelligent held well together, and being a world wide organisation had the great advantage on their side of united action.

"About this time great consternation was caused by an announcement made by a philosopher named Baria, who said that he had discovered a new comet which he predicted would either destroy or entirely alter the earth. Most of the learned men, after examining the comet, gave credence to his statement, and all the astronomers confirmed the comet's existence. It came gradually nearer and nearer to our earth, but the city people and non-believers in the great sect's doctrines, only laughed. They said hundreds of comets had come before, and had gone as they had come, without doing any