Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, more known in the world of the science fiction under the name of Cordwainer Smith, is the author of a single or almost and, at the same time, immense work, "the lords of Instrumentalité". In this fresco of the future which covers nearly 15 000 years as from the third millenium describes in a poetic and limpid way, the history of a humanity and the sometimes astonishing under-humanities, directed with benevolence, but firmness by beings with extraordinary longevity, the lords of Instrumentalité. Some could say that to write such a powerful work, which so extremely speaks in the heart about the readers all while being freed from the usual constraints from the SF, it was necessary that the author is one of these lords come from the future to bring some keys to us to allow our painful humanity to reach the promised serenity of Instrumentalité. As often while returning to less adventurous assumptions, one will be able to find in the biography of Paul Linebarger of the elements which give lightings on its work. Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger was born on July 11, 1911 in Milwaukee in Wisconsin. He owes his birth on the American ground to his fathe

Paul Myron Wentworth Linebarger, who, although detached under his functions of diplomat abroad, wished that his/her son be born in the United States so that he preserves the possibility of postulating with the presidency of his country. This honourable prudence did not start at Paul an irresistible passion for the policy and the list of the American presidents since the middle of the century assure well us his absence at this station. Its childhood proceeds mainly abroad, and in particular in China, where his/her father is the adviser and the biographer of the leader Sun Yat-SEN who deviendre the godfather of the Paul young person to that it will allot the Chinese name of Flax Bah-Loh (forest of the incandescent happiness). To the liking of the assignments of his father, it follows the primary school to Hawaii, then the courses of British Cathedral School in Shangai, before continuing in Oberealschule of Baden-Baden and returning to Kaiser Willhem Scool in Shangai. Of its ceaseless changes, it will keep a great capacity of adaptation, in spite of a a little introverted character, and a gift for the languages, it speaks 6 languages of which of course Chinese. It visits Russia, spends a time to Japan, discovers France during its adolescence and thus acquires a rare food product, the intimate knowledge of two cultures, the Western one and the Eastern one. 5 years after its birth, it is joined by a brother, Wentworth; a notable fact of its childhood relates to an accident which deprives it of the use of an eye and which will be a quasi-permanent source of troubles and suffering all its life. In China with his/her Wentworth brother, towards 1918-1919 Paul Linebarger in 1933 A 20 years, it takes down its baccalaureat at the university George Washington and in 1936 becomes Doctor of political sciences at the university John Hopkins. The same year, September 7, it marries Margaret Snow. During these studies, it ensures the secretariat of its father concerning the book that this last writes on Sun Yat-SEN and in 1937, it does itself to appear a book on the doctrines policy of Sun Yat-SEN. After a passage as teacher in Harvard, it takes a station of teaching of political sciences at the Duke university where it will remain as professor assisting until 1946. During all these years, the science fiction has already a place in its life; At fifteen years

spends a time to Japan, discovers France during its adolescence and thus acquires a rare food product, the intimate knowledge of two cultures, the Western one and the Eastern one. 5 years after its birth, it is joined by a brother, Wentworth; a notable fact of its childhood relates to an accident which deprives it of the use of an eye and which will be a quasi-permanent source of troubles and suffering all its life. In China with his/her Wentworth brother, towards 1918-1919 Paul Linebarger in 1933 A 20 years, it takes down its baccalaureat at the university George Washington and in 1936 becomes Doctor of political sciences at the university John Hopkins. The same year, September 7, it marries Margaret Snow. During these studies, it ensures the secretariat of its father concerning the book that this last writes on Sun Yat-SEN and in 1937, it does itself to appear a book on the doctrines policy of Sun Yat-SEN. After a passage as teacher in Harvard, it takes a station of teaching of political sciences at the Duke university where it will remain as professor assisting until 1946. During all these years, the science fiction has already a place in its life; At fifteen years, its news "War N° 81 Q" appears in the review of its school "The adjutant" under the pseudonym of Karloman Junghar and will find its place later on in the cycle of Instrumentalité. However its first publication in a review devoted to the science fiction goes back to 1950 with "Scanners live in vain" written nearly 5 years earlier. Although of fragile health, it is useful in the army during all the Second World War and becomes a specialist in the psychological warfare. For this reason, it will be sent in China where it ensures the coordination of the activities in this field of the Anglo-American and Chinese armies. At the end of the war, he is a Major and will become colonel of reserve. In 1942 his/her daughter Rosana (Johanna Lesley) nait, then in 1947 a second girl Marchia Christine. Rosana describes his/her father like a loving, attentive and clearly unusual father. His/her parents divorce in 1949 and Paul remarie Genevieve Collins 20 the Mars 1950. Rosana and its sister raised by their mother will benefit from their father only for periods of holidays which will be thanks to its talent of storyteller of the unforgettable moments; She remembers in particular this voyage to Mexico in 1951, during which, with a terrifying imagination Paul developed the topics of the suffering and cruelty in the human being. Rosana and its father Paul These topics which evoke Rosana find in all work SF of Cordwainer Smith, at the same time like one throbbing recall of its own suffering, but especially because their presences make it possible to the author to expose his strong compassion which, in spite of the brutality of the facts that it tells, gives to all its writings one will have tenderness which returns to us better while reading it. In 1948, whereas he is a professor of Asian political sciences with John Hopkins, he publishes his main work "professional" entitled "Psychological warfare", which will make authority during long years and which will be worth to him to be requested with many recoveries; he will advise, for example, the British forces in Malaysia or the US 8eme armed in Korea. Its experiment will lead it to be one of the advisers of JF Kennedy for the foreign politics. However it will be able to avoid the blindness by considering that the intervention in Vietnam is an error. Before coming to its