Chesterton's first novel, an utopia, or dystopia, starting eighty years in the future (so in 1984). Democracy has disappeared in England; a randomly chosen king is the head of government. The novel starts with the choosing of king Auberon: a humorist, or satirist, or artist. He imposes 'The charter of the cities', and herein obliges each township in London to have its own coat of arms, etc. He enjoys seeing the town leaders in robes, with halberdiers and banners in their corresponding colors and arms.
The provosts of the townships obey the king's laws, but not enthusiastically. They are men of common sense; they do not like the king's joke. There is, however, one exception: provost Adam Wayne of Notting Hill is a fanatic, who takes the 'Charter of the cities' seriously and defends Notting Hill against the other provosts' schemes to build a road through Pump Street.
The king is surprised that there is someone who takes his joke seriously; he does not act to prevent the clash that develops between Notting Hill and the surrounding cities. A series of battles between the townships follows.
Reading this novel I remembered Einstein's famous thought experiment, about traveling with the speed of light, which subsequently led to his special theory of relativity. Chesterton, too, imagines a setting, with the different townships, and one true believer. The subsequent developments are fascinating, and somewhat insane.
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