THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 2^ 



perverse tenacity of life, an unquestionable " survival of the most fit " 

 for the condition, but a discredit to their ancestors and a disgust to 

 the present rulers of the earth. They are getting scarcer every day, 

 and when man has asserted his rightful dominion over every portion 

 of the globe's surface, they too will have become extinct.* 



Now, this I think, is applicable in some measure to the hfe of 

 the past, in every era of the world's history. Away back in the 

 primitive condition of the globe primitive forms emerged, suited to 

 the then existing condition, these being in every way favorable, they 

 prospered to the utmost. A change takes place that produces con- 

 ditions less favorable to them. Another set of forms appear : better 

 adapted for these conditions they succeed for a time, and the first 

 has to occupy second place. Another change, and another set of 

 forms comes to the front, whilst the second retires to take its place 

 with the first ; and yet another, and so on through the whole series, 

 until man appears on the scene, whose duty and prerogative it is to 

 change the whole face of nature and thereby assert his dominion 

 over it. Each set of forms attaining their maximum when the con- 

 ditions were most favarable and their minimum when they are least 

 so, giving us an explanation of what appears like an anomaly in the 

 life of the past : that the great forms should have preceeded the 

 lesser of their kind and assuring us of the utter impossibility of their 

 ever attaining like proportions again. 



The causes producing these geologic and climatic differences 

 which have appeared during the progressive history of this globe, 

 would be a subject of intense interest and open up a field of investi- 

 gation, limited only by the capacity of the individual investigating, 

 but one that hardly comes within the scope of my subject, yet, if we 

 could get a correct clue to it would lead us to a better understanding 

 of the other. 



The original elements composing this globe and all within the 

 circle of gravitating force may be stated as earth, air, fire and water. 

 These may be sub-divided indefinitely and their chemical constitu- 

 ents given in figures and letters. Now whatever changes took place 

 in these during the protracted periods of time occupied in bringing 

 this globe to its present condition, we may rest assured were not 



* I am aware tliat soma object to such a statement of the case ; but it seems extremely 

 probable that many creatures living at present may be in very much the same position of some 

 men we read about who have outlived their usefulness. 



