Morgan Robertson's FUTILITY

[Paul Daley]

This is one book I would like to thoroughly read.
It was written in 1898, yet bears striking similarities with future events.

[furbaby]

I have been trying for the longest time to get my hands on this book and I cannot find it anywhere! I guess I should probably try ebay, haven't done that. But I've tried all the bookstores here and they haven't ever heard of it!

[Paul Daley]

it was edited after the sinking too, in an attempt to cash in.

[furbaby]

I want to read the original version of course. There was a poem somewhere I think, it was in that book and it was really eerie, I'm going to try and find it.

[Paul Daley]

Do you mean this one?

A Tryst

From out the desolation of the North
An iceberg took it away,
From its detaining comrades breaking forth,
And traveling night and day.

At whose command? Who bade it sail the deep
With that resistless force?
Who made the dread appointment it must keep?
Who traced its awful course?

To the warm airs that stir in the sweet South,
A good ship spread her sails;
Stately she passed beyond the harbor's mouth,
Chased by the favoring gales;

And on her ample decks a happy crowd
Bade the fair land good-by;
Clear shone the day, with not a single cloud
In all the peaceful sky.

Brave men, sweet women, little children bright
For all these she made room,
And with her freight of beauty and delight
She went to meet her doom.

Storms buffeted the iceberg, spray was swept
Across its loftiest height;
Guided alike by storm and calm, it kept
Its fatal path aright.

Then warmer waves gnawed at its crumbling base,
As if in piteous plea;
The ardent sun sent slow tears down its face
Soft flowing to the sea.

Dawn kissed it with her tender rose tints. Eve
Bathed it in violet,
The wistful color o'er it seemed to grieve
With a divine regret.

Whether Day clad its clefts in rainbows dim
And shadowy as a dream,
Or Night through lonely spaces saw it swim
White in the moonlight's gleam,

Ever Death rode upon its solemn heights,
Ever his watch he kept;
Cold at its heart through changing days and nights
Its changeless purpose slept.

And where afar a smiling coast it passed,
Straightway the air grew chill;
Dwellers thereon perceived a bitter blast,
A vague report of ill.

Like some imperial creature, moving slow,
Meanwhile, with matchless grace,
The stately ship, unconscious of her foe,
Drew near the trysting place.

For still the prosperous breezes followed her,
And half the voyage was o'er;
In many a breast glad thoughts began to stir
Of lands that lay before.

And human hearts with longing love were dumb,
That soon should cease to beat,
Thrilled with the hope of meetings soon to come,
And lost in memories sweet.

Was not the weltering waste of water wide
Enough for both to sail?
What drew the two together o'er the tide,
Fair ship and iceberg pale?

There came a night with neither moon nor star,
Clouds draped the sky in black;
With fluttering canvas reefed at every spar,
And weird fire in her track,

The ship swept on; a wild wind gathering fast
Drove her at utmost speed.
Bravely she bent before the fitful blast
That shook her like a reed.

0 helmsman, turn thy wheel! Will no surmise
Cleave through the midnight drear?
No warning of the horrible surprise
Reach thine unconscious ear?

She rushed upon her ruin. Not a flash
Broke up the waiting dark;
Dully through wind and sea one awful crash
Sounded, with none to mark.

Scarcely her crew had time to clutch despair.
So swift the work was done:
Ere their pale lips could frame a speechless prayer,
They perished, every one!

[furbaby]

I've been searching for it, and I keep coming up with that one aswell. I think it is that one, I just don't remember it being so long...but that's all I come up with. Was that actually published in his book though? I don't think the original version but maybe in the reprints it might have been. But yeah, that's a good one!

[Paul Daley]

As far as I am aware, that is the one from the book.

[Brittanic]

He was a very unusual man infact there was another book of his that was freaky about a huge war that outlined WWII perfectly. Well almost.

[Xtapolapocet]

brittanic said:

He was a very unusual man infact there was another book of his that was freaky about a huge war that outlined WWII perfectly. Well almost.

There are some things which are unexplainable, the book entitled 'Futility' is one of them. How could someone, preceding the construction, outline something so eerily similar to what fate had in store for the Titanic and over 1,500 souls aboard her that fateful night in 1912.

Throughout history, there have been several occurrences that have defied logic; the composition of ‘Futility’ is undoubtedly one. Personally, I have not read the novel but I have heard the tale; as have all Titanic enthusiasts.

As per the post made by Furbaby, the novel is incredibly difficult to obtain. Most major literature retailers do not stock nor order the book. In regard to the post made by Mr. Daly, if the novel was edited post sinking to “cash in”, it would not be genuine and therefore not as ‘good’ for anyone interested in looking at the ‘Real McCoy’. Nothing is good after it has been embellished, in my opinion.

-- X

[Brittanic]

It was made in 1898 wasn't it?

[Xtapolapocet]

brittanic said:

It was made in 1898 wasn't it?

I believe so, the Titanic began construction in the Spring if 1909.

[Brittanic]

yeah.it was really cool I bet.

[Paul Daley]

Here is a transcript of the book.

[Brittanic]

didn't the Titanic have 15 instead of 19 water tight Bulkheads?

[tomdyer]

Yes, she had 15.