RUMINATIONS 



of the earth's crust." In the face of these facts, 

 how unsatisfactory seem Professor Osborn's state- 

 ments that life probably originated on the conti- 

 nents, either in the moist crevices of rocks or soils, 

 in the fresh waters of continental pools, or in the 

 slightly saline waters of the "bordering primordial 

 seas." This last suggestion comes nearer the 

 mark. There is no variation during geologic time 

 of these primordial living organisms. All con- 

 ceivable changes of environment have passed over 

 them, but they change not. Bacteria struggle 

 together, one form devouring another form. Uni- 

 cellular life long precedes multicellular. Biologists 

 usually begin with the latter; the former are fixed; 

 with the latter begins development or evolution, 

 and the peopling of the world with myriads of 

 animal forms. 



VIII. SPENDTHRIFT NATURE 



EMERSON says, "Nature is a spendthrift, but takes 

 the shortest way to her ends." She is like our- 

 selves, she is ourselves written large written in 

 animal, in tree, in fruit, in flower. She is lavish of 

 that of which she has the most. She is lavish of 

 her leaves, but less so of her flowers, still less of 

 her fruit, and less yet of her germinal parts. The 

 production of seed is a costly process to the plant. 

 Many trees yield fruit only every other year. 

 I say that Nature is a spendthrift only of what 



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