The Young Queens 



at least, and the greatest — that which 

 bears on its flank the name " Nature " — 

 encloses a very real force, the most real 

 of all, and one that is able to preserve an 

 enormous and marvellous quantity and 

 quality of life on our globe, by means so 

 skilful that they surpass all that the genius 

 of man could contrive. Could this quan- 

 tity and quality be maintained by other 

 means ? Is it we who deceive ourselves 

 when we imagine that we see precautions 

 where perhaps there is truly no more than 

 a fortunate .chance, that has survived a 

 million unfortunate chances ? 



[80] 



That may be ; but these fortunate 

 chances teach us a lesson in admiration 

 as valuable as those we might learn in re- 

 gions superior to chance. If we let our 

 gaze travel beyond the creatures that are 

 possessed of a glimmer of intellect and 

 283 



