''Lost Legacy'' (1941) is a

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

writer

Robert A. Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein ( ; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific acc ...

. The story was rejected by

John W. Campbell John Wood Campbell Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was an American science fiction writer and editor. He was editor of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (later called ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'') from late 1937 until his death and wa ...

for ''Astounding''. It was then accepted by Frederick Pohl, and was published in the November 1941 issue of ''

Super Science Stories ''Super Science Stories'' was an American pulp science fiction magazine published by Popular Publications from 1940 to 1943, and again from 1949 to 1951. Popular launched it under their Fictioneers imprint, which they used for magazines, pay ...

'' under the title "Lost Legion" and the pseudonym Lyle Monroe. The story was collected as "Lost Legacy" under Heinlein's own name in the book '' Assignment in Eternity'' (1953). Campbell, when rejecting the story, said that it was good, not great. However, Pohl said that "Some of Heinlein's early work came to me because John didn't have the wit to buy it". He also said that this piece was published under a pseudonym because he was only paying Heinlein "something like a quarter of a cent a word". The novella is an exploration of the possibilities that humans, with the proper training, have the potential to make use of a wide range of

telepathic Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic ...

and

telekinetic Telekinesis () (alternatively called psychokinesis) is a purported psychic ability allowing an individual to influence a physical system without physical interaction. Experiments to prove the existence of telekinesis have historically been cri ...

abilities. It is based on the presumption that most, if not all, humans have innate

psychic A psychic is a person who claims to use powers rooted in parapsychology, such as extrasensory perception (ESP), to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance; or who performs acts that a ...

abilities, but simply do not know it and therefore do not make use of them. This ignorance is encouraged by a mysterious and powerful cabal which benefits from keeping people unaware of their abilities.

Plot summary

No date is given for the events, but they are in "a near future America" from the publishing date of 1941. Europe and Asia have suffered a "collapse" and the only significant technological advances mentioned are Picturephones and a "pocketphone". The story begins with the rediscovery of innate human

powers by three friends, all from a California university: Joan a grad student; Ben, a surgeon and instructor at the medical school; and Phil a psychology professor. There are attempts by a corrupt elite to silence their discoveries, so they take a road trip to cool off and talk things over. The road trip lands them near

Mount Shasta Mount Shasta ( ; Shasta people, Shasta: ''Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki''; Karuk language, Karuk: ''Úytaahkoo'') is a Volcano#Volcanic activity, potentially active stratovolcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. A ...

around nightfall. In their tent, Joan declares that she wants to hike around the mountain the following day. Ben and Phil gallantly refuse to let her do so alone. After a good day hiking, Phil falls over a fern and breaks his

fibula The fibula (: fibulae or fibulas) or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. ...

. He is rescued by

Ambrose Bierce Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 – ) was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book '' The Devil's Dictionary'' was named one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by the ...

, the famous writer who disappeared and was declared dead in 1913 at age 71–72. This fictional Bierce is now over 100 years old but is as strong and robust as an outdoorsy fortysomething. This story's Bierce says he dropped out of society because he saw WWI and other troubles coming. Bierce causes Phil's fibula to heal overnight via hypnosis. Bierce is revealed as one of a group of individuals who have developed their telepathic powers and all now live in secrecy on Mount Shasta in an elaborate cave structure. The caves are over 100 meters long with generous side rooms including a library filled with powerful ancient knowledge. The caves were discovered in modern times around 1782 by

Junípero Serra Saint Junípero Serra Ferrer (; ; November 24, 1713August 28, 1784), popularly known simply as Junipero Serra, was a Spanish Roman Catholic, Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Order. He is credited with establishing the Francis ...

two years before Serra "surrendered his soul to rest". The caves were then known to local First Nations people who showed them to Serra only after he swore an oath that he was a

medicine man A medicine man (from Ojibwe ''mashkikiiwinini'') or medicine woman (from Ojibwe ''mashkikiiwininiikwe'') is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas. Each culture has its own name i ...

. The current residents of the caves have learned to tap into an inner power that is a lot like

The Force The Force is a Metaphysics, metaphysical, mysterious, and Energy (esotericism), ubiquitous power in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, fictional universe. Characters refer to the Force as an energy that interconnects all things in the univer ...

in ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...

'' with less focus on fighting and more focus on art. Unlike

Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...

whose talent with The Force seems to be a family trait, the abilities suggested in ''Lost Legacy'' are supposed to be in every human, needing only instruction and practice to master. The people living in the cave claim that

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

was one of them, as well as

Walt Whitman Walter Whitman Jr. (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist; he also wrote two novels. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and world literature. Whitman incor ...

and Oliver Wendell Holmes. As part of their program to protect America as a bastion of freedom they also invited

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

to join. According to records found by the good adepts, humanity reached a high level of development in a

Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...

, but when their leaders decide to move on to a new

plane of existence In esoteric cosmology, a plane is conceived as a subtle state, level, or region of reality, each plane corresponding to some type, kind, or category of being. The concept may be found in religious and esoteric teachings which propound the idea ...

, a sub group decided to stay behind and use their skills to become dominant. After a great war humanity was thrown back to a

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

, there to start over. After rescue by Bierce the three main characters are introduced to the residents of the cave and after a few weeks are invited to stay and receive further training. They accept. They then begin to spread information on how to use these psychic powers, particularly training

Boy Scouts Boy Scouts or Boy Scout may refer to: * Members, sections or organisations in the Scouting Movement ** Scout (Scouting), a boy or a girl participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouting America, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America ...

. After the evil cabal tries to stop them, battles occur between the two groups with the good adepts emerging victorious. The story ends with a lyrical description of an empty Earth, since the human race has now evolved to a new plane of existence. An ape is beginning the long climb of his species to intelligence and psychic ability.

Characters

* Dr. Philip Huxley: Professor of Psychology at Western University. * Dr. Ben Coburn: Neurosurgeon at Western University. * Joan Freeman: Student of Psychology at Western University. * Dr. Brinckley: President of Western University. * Residents of Mt. Shasta **

** Charles: Painter. ** Mrs. Draper: Mood composer. ** Ephraim Howe: "Senior" of the council of elders. ** Master Ling * Ferguson: D.A. office representative. * Senator Moulton * Arthurson * Agnes: Televangelist. * Weems * Hanson * Chief * Brother Artemis: Televangelist.

References

External links

* {{ISFDB title, , id=58510 1941 short stories Atlantis in fiction Scouting in popular culture Short stories by Robert A. Heinlein Works originally published in Super Science Stories