The Destiny of Man. 33 



species have become extinct, and many 

 modern species have come into being, 

 through the unchecked working of natural 

 selection, since Man became distinctively 

 human. But in this respect a change has 

 long been coming over the face of nature. 

 The destinies of all other living things are 

 more and more dependent upon the will of 

 Man. It rests with him to determine, to a 

 great degree, what plants and animals shall 

 remain upon the earth and what shall be 

 swept from its surface. By unconsciously 

 imitating the selective processes of Na- 

 ture, he long ago wrought many wild spe- 

 cies into forms subservient to his needs. 

 He has created new varieties of fruit and 

 flower and cereal grass, and has reared 

 new breeds of animals to aid him in the 

 work of civilization ; until at length he is 

 beginning to acquire a mastery over me- 

 chanical and molecular and chemical forces 

 which is doubtless destined in the future 

 to achieve marvellous results whereof to- 

 day we little dream. Natural selection 

 3 



