1 6 The Morality of Nature 



act, and changing the world current for his own desires, "he 

 is not separated or emancipated from the world hostility. 

 He is still an item in the passive objects of nature, and as 

 such is subject to forces arising beyond his control, just 

 as was the rock, which in the previous example was described 

 as falling by natural accident. His responsibility includes 

 care for all such things, — his manner of opposing adverse 

 circumstances is just as much his conduct as is his manner 

 of meeting favorable conditions. His ability to modify 

 occurrences around him relieves him from the aggressions 

 of these occurrences only to the extent that he successfully 

 uses that ability. The rain will fall on him as it would on the 

 rock unless he secures shelter; the bank will slide beneath 

 him and deposit him in the stream, as mercilessly as it would 

 dispose of inanimate weight, if he remains in the place of 

 danger without opposing it by his power of action. His 

 place in nature is thus one of subjection to all the natural 

 laws and all their consequences, and he is equipped with an 

 organization of will and power, normally enabling him to 

 maintain his existence among these adverse conditions by 

 his active efforts, and he is liable to consequences of failure 

 if his efforts fall below the necessary efficiency. His sur- 

 roundings may become more adverse by accident or by 

 natural change, and he may have to increase his efforts in 

 order to prevent injury. Or conditions may become easier 

 and he may be benefitted, and may decrease his efforts. 

 But no such changes will afford him a cessation of effort. 

 Nature toward any creature stands as the hunting field of 

 life from which that creature must gather his needs by his 

 own work and at his own risk. His conduct in this quest 



