Editing Erewhon (section)

==Content==
The greater part of the book consists of a description of Erewhon. 
===The Book of the Machines===
Butler developed the three chapters of ''Erewhon'' that make up "The Book of the Machines" from a number of articles he had contributed to ''[[The Press]]'', which had just begun publication in [[Christchurch]], New Zealand, beginning with "[[Darwin among the Machines]]" (1863). Butler was the first to write about the possibility that [[Artificial consciousness|machines might develop consciousness]] by [[natural selection]].<ref>[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6173 "Darwin among the Machines"], reprinted in the Notebooks of Samuel Butler at [[Project Gutenberg]]</ref>

In his preface to the second edition Butler wrote, "I regret that reviewers have in some cases been inclined to treat the chapters on Machines as an attempt to reduce Mr Darwin's theory to an absurdity. Nothing could be further from my intention, and few things would be more distasteful to me than any attempt to laugh at Mr Darwin."

===Characters===
* Higgs—The narrator who informs the reader of the nature of Erewhonian society.
* Chowbok (Kahabuka)—Higgs' guide into the mountains; he is a native who greatly fears the Erewhonians. He eventually abandons Higgs.
* Yram—The daughter of Higgs' jailer who takes care of him when he first enters Erewhon. Her name is Mary spelled backwards.
* Senoj Nosnibor—Higgs' host after he is released from prison; he hopes that Higgs will marry his elder daughter. His name is Robinson Jones backwards.
* Zulora—Senoj Nosnibor's elder daughter—Higgs finds her unpleasant, but her father hopes Higgs will marry her.
* Arowhena—Senoj Nosnibor's younger daughter; she falls in love with Higgs and runs away with him.
* Mahaina—A woman who claims to suffer from [[alcoholism]] but is believed to have a weak temperament.
* Ydgrun—The incomprehensible goddess of the Erewhonians. Her name is an anagram of Grundy (from [[Mrs. Grundy]], a character in [[Thomas Morton (playwright)|Thomas Morton]]'s play ''[[Speed the Plough]]'').