302 THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. [CHAP. 



remote ages when the first rudiments of organic life ap- 

 peared upon the earth, every plant and every animal has 

 been subject to one great law of physical change. As the 

 earth has gone through its grand cycles of geological, cli- 

 matal, and organic progress, every form of life has been 

 subject to its irresistible action, and has been continually 

 but imperceptibly moulded into such new shapes as would 

 preserve their harmony with the ever-changing universe. 

 No living thing could escape this law of its being ; none 

 (except, perhaps, the simplest and most rudimentary organ- 

 isms) could remain unchanged and live amid the universal 

 change around it." 



" At length, however, there came into existence a being 

 in whom that subtle force we term mind, became of greater 

 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 cap- 

 ture or overcome both. Though less capable than most 

 other animals of living on the herbs and the fruits that un- 

 aided 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 covering ; 

 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 previous 

 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 ad- 

 vance in mind." 



