Denis, seeking solitude to overcome post-lunch lethargy and a pensive mood, retreats to his room to write, inspired by thoughts of Anne and unattainable love. However, seeing Anne with Gombauld from his window disrupts his tranquility, stirring jealousy and irritation. Descending, he encounters Mr. Scogan, who, seizing the opportunity for company, persuades Denis to join him outside. They observe Henry Wimbush and Mary playing bowls before engaging in conversation on a walk. Mr. Scogan pontificates on sanity, insanity, and the power they wield in shaping societal progress. He criticizes the ineffectuality of reason alone to inspire action, contrasting it with the galvanizing force of passionate madness in leaders like Luther and Napoleon.

Mr. Scogan imagines a “Rational State” where intelligence and madness are harnessed systematically. In this envisioned society, individuals are classified by mental and temperamental qualities into Directors (the intelligentsia), Men of Faith (the passionately driven), and the Herd (the general populace). Each class serves a specific function, with the intelligentsia governing, the Men of Faith acting as catalysts for action (under control and direction), and the Herd following. This classification aims to eliminate the chaotic influence of unbridled madness and to channel human energies productively.

Denis, feeling alienated by this scheme, questions his place within it, only to be humorously dismissed as suited for “the lethal chamber” due to his lack of fit with any of the proposed classes. Despite the jest, this conversation underscores Denis’s feelings of inadequacy and disconnection, both in love and in the grand schemes of society.

This chapter thus weaves together themes of personal longing, social critique, and philosophical musings on the drivers of human progress. Through Denis and Mr. Scogan’s dialogue, Huxley explores the tension between reason and passion, questioning the value and impact of each in the advancement of civilization.