Hunger and Love 119 



carnivores — or reactions against the callous fates of 

 the physical world, such as the diverse ways of meet- 

 ing -the winter. The struggle may mean girding the 

 loins or tightening the belt, trimming the lamps of 

 the senses or quickening the pace, putting on a gar- 

 ment of invisibility and lying low, or, at its highest 

 level, "intending the mind thereunto" and thinking 

 out a problem. The struggle rises from internecine 

 competition to an endeavor after well-being; the 

 field-naturalist knows more of its subtlety than the 

 zoologist. Both are agreed that it is essential not only 

 in making but in securing progress. 



HUNGER AND LOVE 



Everyone knows the poet's declaration: While 

 philosophers are disputing, hunger and love solve the 

 world's problems. But is it as wise as it looks? Do 

 hunger and love solve the world's problems ? Are they 

 not problems themselves ? And are not the disputings 

 of philosophers what we need to help us to see life 

 whole and do justice to egoistic and altruistic im- 

 pulses alike? For sixteen hours on a summer day did 

 a pair of Blue Tits gather hundreds of small cater- 

 pillars as food for their nestlings. Too much hunger 

 from the caterpillar's point of view; satisfaction of 

 hunger from the nestling's point of view; but how 

 much love on the parents' side! It is part of their 

 meat and drink to gather caterpillars for their off- 

 spring; and the urge which they obey in doing this 

 is quite as real as their own gastric urge which en- 

 forces snacks of food for themselves. 



