PREFACE xv 



with prehensile toes, lived arboreal lives capering 

 among the branches in the primeval forests they 

 have looked upon good old Mother Nature as an 

 enemy to be subdued at all hazards and any cost. 

 In this silly warfare waged against our best friend, 

 we have denuded the earth of magnificent forests 

 of valuable trees, unnecessarily destroying and 

 burning enough material to supply our descendants 

 with shade and shelter to the end of the world. 



We have greedily sought the oil buried beneath 

 the ground and wasted enough to supply genera- 

 tions of men with light and heat. 



We have tapped the veins of natural gas and, 

 like the children that we are, allowed it to burn 

 continuously because it was too much trouble or 

 expense to turn it off during the daytime. 



We have annihilated beautiful and useful birds 

 for the trifling temporary income their skins 

 brought us, when sold to our women to be used as 

 grotesque and uncanny ornaments for their dear 

 heads and very much dearer hats. 



We have ruthlessly hunted and exterminated 

 animals of priceless economic value for the petty 

 price of their pelts or the savage joy derived from 

 butchering them. 



And now we stand with expanded chests crying, 

 Look at the greatness of man, see how he has con- 

 quered Nature! 



Or we flock to the churches and on bended knees 

 pray that the floods be abated or entreat that rain 

 be sent to slack the thirst of our parched fields, 



