310 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



every little circumstance must then make so much 

 the greater impression. When pain and trouble 

 come man shows by his face that they are at work, 

 however he may wish to hide them from his friends. 

 How little a thing is pregnant with the direst 

 results is seen in the cases of epidemic diseases, 

 and it is a well-known fact that certain disorders 

 of the sexual organs are very easily contracted 

 because these organs are peculiarly sensitive at 

 particular times. All these things go to prove that 

 we have within us a host of memories of which we 

 know nothing and that the record is being kept 

 for all future generations. It is not for the 

 naturalist to moralise upon such a subject, but 

 nevertheless we cannot help remarking that, 

 believing this, our responsibilities must appear 

 overwhelming. No matter that everything is 

 righted in time, much suffering is entailed in the 

 process, and many generations may pass before 

 the consequences of a mistake are effaced. 



This reminds us of the fact that troubles and 

 difficulties are essential to progress. Every varia- 

 tion and useful contrivance is the effort of imper- 

 fection to advance and become more fitted to a 

 particular environment. But the end can never 

 be altogether attained, as plants and animals both 

 strive to overreach each other, and as fast as one 



