Change is Normal 3^7 



unknown one, although as man of his present form, it is a 

 recent period indeed. A thousand feet height of geological 

 strata of rocks and sands and earths lie in plain view for 

 us in many places. Man's part of that section would be 

 in fair proportion only a few feet at the top. Below that 

 small depth not only man but all the present existing forms 

 of life disappear, and forms that are found, such as three- 

 toed horses and gigantic elk and mastodons, following the 

 relics of creatures in transition from aquatic habit to those 

 of dry land, show that changes of enormous import have 

 occurred as mere incidents, in a world of continuous change. 



And while these changes occurred in the forms of living 

 things which are preserved in the earth deposits, and these 

 earth deposits themselves were accumulating in amazing 

 depths and thickness, it can be seen by the manner in which 

 life relics lie in them, that life which then existed led an 

 existence not wholly unlike the present ; that is to say there 

 was peace and plenty for fragile things; and long periods 

 passed without catastrophe or violence, so that gentle cur- 

 rents drifted over delicate shells, and wings of butterfly 

 texture flew in summer airs, and foliage opened and flowers 

 bloomed where storms were as tolerable as now. Things as 

 frail as ourselves lived and died, and were covered by drift- 

 ing sands, in a manner which could only come to pass slowly, 

 in a world of self -sufficient nature, which was not a mere 

 world of violent formative process looking to our period, 

 but was then living its own fair destiny as the world is 

 doing now. 



Lastly let us face the full truth which we have so far only 

 looked at afar. The age upon age and change upon change 



