THE SWARM 



live, as long as the world itself, in 

 those tliat come after ; but what can 

 the aim be of this great aim; what the 

 mission of this existence eternally 

 renewed ? 



And yet ma>' it not be that these 

 questions are idle, and we who are put- 

 ting them to you mere childish dreamers, 

 hedged round ^\"ith error and doubt? 

 And, indeed, had successive evolutions 

 installed you all-powerful and supremely 

 happy ; had you gained the last heights, 

 whence at length you ruled over nature's 

 laws; na}-, were you immortal goddesses, 

 we still should be asking you W'hat your 

 desires might be, your ideas of progress; 

 still wondering where you imagined that 

 at last you would rest and declare } our 



[41J 



