The Innermost Circle of the All-highest were the most powerful members of the fictional race known as the Eddorians, the inhabitants of the planet Eddore, as described in the Lensman series of books written by E.E. Smith ("Doc" Smith).
The Eddorians are portrayed as a very ancient race, who have developed their mental powers to a very high degree, and whose sole motivation, both individually and as a race, is the acquisition of power. Having fought among themselves for untold millennia, they have finally arrived at a situation where no Eddorian is powerful enough to destroy any other. The dozen or so individuals who are marginally more powerful than their fellows become the Innermost Circle, and the most powerful of all becomes known as the All-highest.
In their battle with the forces of good, led by the inhabitants of the planet Arisia, a planet older than Eddore, the 'Innermost Circle' direct the activities of a large number of subjugated races until being finally destroyed by the massed might of the lensman and the Arisians, controlled by the Children of the Lens.
Famous quotes containing the words innermost and/or circle:
“One receives as reward for much ennui, despondency, boredom—such as a solitude without friends, books, duties, passions must bring with it—those quarter-hours of profoundest contemplation within oneself and nature. He who completely entrenches himself against boredom also entrenches himself against himself: he will never get to drink the strongest refreshing draught from his own innermost fountain.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“Change begets change. Nothing propagates so fast. If a man habituated to a narrow circle of cares and pleasures, out of which he seldom travels, step beyond it, though for never so brief a space, his departure from the monotonous scene on which he has been an actor of importance would seem to be the signal for instant confusion.... The mine which Time has slowly dug beneath familiar objects is sprung in an instant; and what was rock before, becomes but sand and dust.”
—Charles Dickens (1812–1870)