THE PROGRESS OF THE RACE 231 



energy, of a quality unique on this globe. I know of no other 

 creature that has thus been fashioned to produce this strange 

 fluid, which we call thought, intelligence, understanding, reason, 

 soul, spirit, cerebral power, virtue, goodness, justice, knowledge ; 

 for it has a thousand names, though only one essence. To this 

 essence all things within us are sacrificed. Our muscles, our 

 health, the agility of our limbs, the equilibrium of our animal 

 functions, the tranquillity of our life — all these feel the ever- 

 increasing weight of its preponderance. It is the most precious, 

 most difficult state to which matter can be raised. Flame, heat, 

 light, even life, and the instinct more subtle than life, and most 

 of the intangible forces which crowned the world before our 

 coming, have paled at the contact of the new effluence. Whither 

 it will lead us we know not, or what it will do with us, or 

 become in our hands. All this will be revealed when at last 

 it shall reign in the plenitude of its powers. In the meanwhile, 

 let our one care be to give to it all that it asks of us, to sacri- 

 fice for it whatever might retard its development. This, at the 

 moment, without doubt is our first and our clearest duty. And 

 from it we shall learn the others. It will feed them, extend 

 them, in accordance as itself is fed, just as the waters of the 

 mountain feed the waters of the valley, in accordance with the 

 mysterious aliment they receive from the mountain-peak. Let 

 us not vex ourselves with asking who it is shall benefit by the 

 force that is thus accumulating at our expense. The bees know 

 not whether they will eat the honey they harvest, as we know 

 not who will profit by the spiritual substance we introduce into 

 the universe. As they go from flower to flower collecting more 

 honey than themselves and their offspring can need, let us go 

 from reality to reality seeking food for the incomprehensible 



