314 IN THE GUIANA FOREST 



If there was, or is, a design, what is it ? We 

 can only answer, " the greatest good of the 

 greatest number." What the good probably means 

 is continued existence, the comfort and happi- 

 ness of living, in fact, " being, doing, and suffering/' 

 as the grammars have it. The enjoyment of 

 life depends upon the way the three great laws 

 are carried out. Every living thing must obey 

 them at their peril. To ignore two of them 

 means pain, suffering, and death, to despise the 

 third leads to an end of the line. 



These laws are, in brief, first, get food ; second, 

 protect yourself; and third, procreate the species. 

 They may be all comprised in the statement 

 that " self-preservation is the first law of nature." 



To get food all have to work ; our powers 

 have been developed to this end. Animals, by 

 continual use of their faculties, have sharpened 

 them ; were any one allowed to degenerate star- 

 vation might ensue. To fly, swim, run, climb, 

 and spring are means of getting food, and so 

 are the beautiful contrivances seen in teeth and 

 claws, as well as the hands of monkeys and man. 

 Not only food, but suitable kinds, have to be 

 hunted for with eyes, ears, and nose, and have 

 often to be tasted before eating. Even feeling 

 is largely concerned with the same laws, Fight- 



