328 THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. [CHAP. 



importance than his mere bodily structure. Though with 

 a naked and unprotected body, this gave him clothing 

 against the varying inclemencies of the seasons. Though 

 unable to compete with the deer in swiftness, or with the 

 wild bull in strength, this gave him weapons with which 

 to capture or overcome both. Though less capable than 

 most other animals of living on the herbs and the fruits 

 that unaided nature supplies, this wonderful faculty taught 

 him to govern and direct nature to his own benefit, and 

 make her produce food for him when and where he pleased. 

 From the moment when the first skin was used as a cover- 

 ing ; when the first rude spear was formed to assist in the 

 chase ; when fire was first used to cook his food ; when the 

 first seed was sown or shoot planted, a grand revolution 

 was effected in nature, a revolution which in all the pre- 

 vious ages of the earth'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." 



" On this view of his special attributes, we may admit 

 'that he is indeed a being apart.' 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 

 cultivated 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." 



