Today is Always the Day of Evolution 383 



it affords a lesson to self-conscious or human motives. Hav- 

 ing in view the principle so often and so well supported 

 elsewhere that progress builds up without displacing, it 

 appears true that the ability to anticipate the future should 

 not be used to give that view undue importance. The pres- 

 ent is still the time of action. It is true as ever that the 

 past is gone, and its character, even if to be better known, 

 is never to be changed. It is still true that the future can 

 only be imperfectly foreseen. Our efforts to look into it 

 are after all only the same efforts in conscious doing, which 

 lower life makes unconsciously. We still must proceed 

 supposing that the sequence and consequence which have 

 been and are, will continue in the same way. That is the 

 only method reason has of seeing the future, and it does not 

 modify the conduct motive, except that it perceives its exis- 

 tence, and its base. It remains true as before that knowing 

 the past, and expecting a future according to it, the proper 

 conduct, the conduct upon which life depends, is that most 

 perfectly adapted to the present environment by rightness 

 and fitness. We cannot live next year unless we first live 

 today. Our gift enables us to anticipate the consequences 

 of our conduct only by perceiving the law of its relation to 

 the future, and not by perception of that future itself. We 

 add an uncertain view of the future to our motives, but this 

 in no sense justifies a disregard for the present. Although 

 consequences will in part rest in the future, yet for activity, 

 today is always the day of evolution. 



