The Black Swans 



with some well-formulated plan of Na- 

 ture, and was sorry. 



We fancy we know so much more 

 about a lot of things in this world than 

 our common Mother knows. We are 

 always and forever assuming to im- 

 prove on the universal scheme, cor- 

 recting the Almighty and his laws, and 

 all the while the All-wise makes of us 

 and all the best-laid schemes of men 

 (not mice) a mockery. We can by 

 force of arms, by acts of parliaments, 

 intervene successfully for a time, we 

 fondly think, with the general plan, 

 but the tables on which men carve 

 their edicts crumble into nothingness, 

 and drifting sands entomb the walls 

 of Babylon, whenever Nature cares to 

 resume the sway she never really has 

 resigned. I had no business pulling 

 up that big Helianthus before its 

 seeds had fully ripened, but that will 

 not prevent some other sunflower from 

 fulfilling its allotted mission. You 

 can't overthrow Nature by taking one 

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