One point that will be helpful in understanding this essay: you’ll see that Lewis subtitled the essay, “A lost chapter from Herodotus”. An ancient Greek who lived in the 5th century B.C., Herodotus traveled throughout the world, recording his observations of people, places and cultures. These he composed into dynamic and vivid narratives intended to give the reader a sense of having visited the place themselves. Lewis writes this essay as if he were Herodotus on a visit to Niatirb (‘Britain’ spelled backwards) in the mid 20th century.