THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 307 



cultivated men even now raise their warning voices, put 

 their small hand to the mighty work of restoring to Nature 

 her strength and fulness, yet in a higher stage than that 

 of wild Nature ; rather dependant on the law of purpose 

 given by Man, arranged according to plans which are 

 copied from the development of manhood itself.* All this 

 indeed remains at present but a powerless, and for the 

 Whole, an insignificantly small enterprise, but it preserves 

 the faith in the vocation of Man and his power to fulfil it. 

 In future times he will and must, when he rules, leads 

 and protects the whole, free Nature from the tyrannous 

 slavery to which he now abases her, and in which he can 

 only keep her by restless giant- struggles against the 

 eternally Resisting. We see in the grey, cloudy distance 

 of the Future, a realm of Peace and Beauty on the Earth 

 and in Nature, but to reach it must Man long study in the 

 School of Nature, and, before All, free himself from the 

 bonds of Egotism. 



* See the admirable work of Dr. Prichard, " The Natural History 

 of Man ;" comprising Inquiries into the Modifying Influence of 

 Physical and Moral Agencies on the different Tribes of the Human 

 Family. Second Edition, enlarged, with 44 coloured and 5 plain 

 Illustrations, engraved on Steel, and 97 Engravings on Wood. 

 Royal 8vo. London, 1845. 



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