THE INFLUENCE OF MIND. 591 



benefit, and make her produce food for him when and where 

 he pleased. From the moment when the first skin was used 

 as a covering, when the first rude spear was formed to assist 

 in the chase, the first seed sown or shoot planted, a grand 

 revolution was effected in nature, a revolution which in all 

 the previous ages of the world's history had had no parallel, 

 for a being had arisen who was no longer necessarily subject 

 to change with the changing universe, a being who was in 

 some degree superior to nature, inasmuch as he knew how to 

 control and regulate her action, and could keep himself in 

 harmony with her, not by a change in body, but by an 

 advance in mind. 



" Here, then, we see the true grandeur and dignity of man. 

 On this view of his special attributes, we may admit that even 

 those who claim for him a position and an order, a class, or a 

 sub-kingdom by himself, have some reason on their side. He 

 is, indeed, a being apart, since he is not influenced by the 

 great laws which irresistibly modify all other organic beings. 

 Nay, more : this victory which he has gained for himself gives 

 him a directing influence over other existences. Man has 

 not only escaped ' natural selection' himself, but he is actually 

 able to take away some of that power from nature which, 

 before his appearance, she universally exercised. We can 

 anticipate the time when the earth will produce only culti- 

 vated plants and domestic animals ; when man's selection 

 shall have supplanted 'natural selection;' and when the 

 ocean will be the only domain in which that power can be 

 exerted, which for countless cycles of ages ruled supreme over 

 the earth." 



Thus, then, the great principle of Natural Selection, which 

 is to biology what the law of gravitation is for astronomy, not 

 only throws an unexpected light on the past, but illuminates 

 the future with hope ; nor can I but feel surprised that a 

 theory which thus teaches us humility for the past, faith in 



