3o8 THE ASCENT OF MAN 



Chlorophyll contained in the green parts of plants 

 alone among substances has the power to break 

 up the mineral kingdom and utilize the products 

 as food. Though detected recently in the tissues 

 of two of the very lowest animals, Chlorophyll is 

 the peculiar possession of the vegetable kingdom, 

 and forms the solitary point of contact between 

 Man and all higher animals and their supply of 

 food. Every grain of matter therefore eaten by 

 Man, every movement of the body, every stroke 

 of work done by muscle or brain, depends upon 

 the contribution of a plant, or of an animal 

 which has eaten a plant. Remove the vegetable 

 kingdom, or interrupt the flow of its unconscious 

 benefactions, and the whole higher life of the 

 world ends. Everything, indeed, came into being 

 because of something else, and continues to be 

 because of its relations to something else. The 

 matter of the earth is built up of co-operating 

 atoms ; it owes its existence, its motion, and its 

 stability to co-operating stars. Plants and animals 

 are made of co-operating cells, nations of co- 

 operating men. Nature makes no move. Society 

 achieves no end, the Cosmos advances not one 

 step that is not dependent on Co-operation ; and 

 while the discords of the world disappear with 

 growing knowledge. Science only reveals with 



