386 The Effects of Evolution 



be an immense increase of production, and so increase, in- 

 stead of lessening, of wages. With higher education, more 

 leisure, and an elevation of popular taste, there would be 

 ever less and less of the waste and inefficiency caused by- 

 vice and crime. 



These steps, then, society is competent to take. I see 

 no other way. It must be by education, and so through 

 increased mastery of the natural forces on the part of man, 

 that the higher life must come. That which lifts the social 

 level, creates in man higher wants, and so stimulates him 

 to the production of ever more and more of those things 

 in which real wealth consists, to the end that these wants 

 may be supplied, — this and this only can help the race on 

 to the next step towards the "Coming Civilization." This 

 is the lesson of all the past, and here is the prophecy of 

 the future. Long and weary has been the way. But if Evo- 

 lution teaches anything, it is tireless patience and death- 

 less hope. I close, then, with a song I once sung of 



THE PEOPLE. 



Oh, placable and patient race, 



Thy burden bearing through the years ! 



How often marred with grief thy face, 

 How oft thine eyes are dim with tears ! 



How patient art thou with thy gods, 



Still framing for them some excuse, 

 Bending thy back beneath their rods, 



And turning pain to noble use ! 



How patient art thou with thy kings, 



That rob, and fatten on thy spoils ! 

 While each new year new burden brings, 



To bind thee to thy weary toils. 



Be patient still, and labor on ! 



Thy waiting is not all in vain ; 

 For, see ! long hours of dark are gone, 



And, east, the night begins to wane. 



Science, man's mighty friend, has bound 

 Nature's trained forces, foes no more : 



They stamp their hoofs, and at the sound 

 Flies open every once-barred door. 



And through these doors man shall advance, 

 And find free course o'er all the earth; 



No more the slave of circumstance, 

 But rising to his kingly worth. 



