THE BREATH OF LIFE 



wonder is that, notwithstanding the indifference of 

 the elemental forces and the blind clashing of oppos- 

 ing tendencies among living forms, — a universe 

 that seems run entirely on the trial-and-error prin- 

 ciple, — evolution has gone steadily forward, a cer- 

 tain order and stability has been reached in the 

 world of inert bodies and forces, and myriads of 

 forms of wonderful fitness and beauty have been 

 reached in the organic realm. Just as the water-sys- 

 tem and the weather-system of the globe have 

 worked themselves out on the hit-and-miss plan, 

 but not without serious defects, — much too much 

 water and heat at a few places, and much too little 

 at a few others, — so the organic impulse, warred 

 upon by the blind inorganic elements and preyed 

 upon by the forms it gave rise to, has worked itself 

 out and peopled the world as we see it peopled to- 

 day — not with forms altogether admirable and 

 lovely from our point of view, but so from the point 

 of view of the whole. The forests get themselves 

 planted by the go-as-you-please winds and currents, 

 the pines in one place, the spruce, the oaks, the 

 elms, the beeches, in another, all with a certain fit- 

 ness and system. The waters gather themselves 

 together in great bodies and breathe salubrity and 

 fertility upon the land. 



A certain order and reasonableness emerges from 

 the chaos and cross-purposes. There are harmony 

 and cooperation among the elemental forces, as well 



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