212 



THE DESERT 



The Natwe- 

 lover of the 

 present. 



Suman 

 limitatums. 



edge is so much greater, but rather where he 

 lacks in knowledge he declines to condemn. 

 He knows now that Nature did not give all her 

 energy to the large things and all her weakness 

 to the small things; he knows now that she 

 works by law and labors alike for all ; he knows 

 now that back of everything is a purpose, and 

 if he can discover the purpose he cannot choose 

 but admire the product. 



That is something of an advance no doubt — 

 a grasp at human limitations at least — ^but there 

 is no reason to think that it will lead to any 

 lofty heights. Nature never intended that we 

 should fully understand. That we have stum- 

 bled upon some knowledge of her laws was more 

 accident than design. We have by some strange 

 chance groped our way to the Gate of the Gar- 

 den, and there we stand, staring through the 

 closed bars, with the wonder of little children. 

 Alas ! we shall always grope ! And shall we 

 ever cease to wonder ? 



