26 PIONEERS OF E VOL UTION PART 



off from the forests, and flame and fire, as soon as 

 they had become known. Afterwards the force of iron 

 and copper was discovered, and the use of copper was 

 known before that of iron, as its nature is easier to 

 work, and it is found in greater quantity. With copper 

 they would labour the soil of the earth and stir up 

 the billows of war. . . . Then by slow steps the 

 sword of iron gained ground and the make of the 

 copper sickle became a byword, and with iron they 

 began to plough through the earth's soil, and the 

 struggles of wavering man were rendered equal.' As 

 to language * nature impelled them to utter the 

 various sounds of the tongue, and use struck out the 

 names of things.' Thus does Lucretius point the 

 road along which physical and mental evolution have 

 since travelled, and make the whole story subordi- 

 nate to the high purpose of his poem in deliverance of 

 the beings, whose career he thus traces, from super- 

 stition. Man ' seeing the system of heaven and the 

 different seasons of the years could not find out by 

 what causes this was done, and sought refuge in 

 handing over all things to the gods and supposing 

 all things to be guided by their nod.' Then, in the 

 sixth and last book, the completion of which would 

 seem to have been arrested by his death, Lucretius 

 explains the ' law of winds and storms/ of earth- 

 quakes and volcanic outbursts, which men * foolishly 

 lay to the charge of the gods/ who thereby make 

 known their anger. 



So, loath to suffer mute, 

 We, peopling the void air, 

 Make Gods to whom to impute 

 The ills we ought to bear ; 

 With God and Fate to rail at, suffering easily 



