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  • 4-NOV-2025 | Excerpt from "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells

4-NOV-2025 | Excerpt from "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells

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Dan Bogachek
November 04, 2025

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Excerpt from "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells

There was a minute’s pause perhaps. The Psychologist seemed about to speak to me, but changed his mind. Then the Time Traveller put forth his finger towards the lever. ‘No,’ he said suddenly. ‘Lend me your hand.’ And turning to the Psychologist, he took that individual’s hand in his own and told him to put out his forefinger. So that it was the Psychologist himself who sent forth the model Time Machine on its interminable voyage. We all saw the lever turn. I am absolutely certain there was no trickery. There was a breath of wind, and the lamp flame jumped. One of the candles on the mantel was blown out, and the little machine suddenly swung round, became indistinct, was seen as a ghost for a second perhaps, as an eddy of faintly glittering brass and ivory; and it was gone — vanished! Save for the lamp the table was bare. 🏁

I forgot how fresh the first-person perspective feels in a novel. It creates room for opinion and greater depth of detail. It does feel like you’re right there in this scene.

Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” does the same.