i62 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



situdes. People get used to a condition of society 

 where the same man may be rich to-day, reduced 

 nearly to pauperism a year later, and then again, after 

 another short interval, rolling in wealth. It is to be 

 feared that the effect, if continued for a generation or 

 two, will not be favourable to progress in the higher 

 sense. 



The existence of a class not forced to expend its 

 energies on acquiring wealth, and having some 

 adequate objects of ambition, is still the most im- 

 portant condition for the advancement of the human 

 race. We may look forward to other conditions of 

 society when, having found out the extremely small 

 value of most of the luxuries that now stimulate 

 exertion, men will be able peacefully to develop a 

 healthier and happier social state, in which labour and 

 leisure will be more equally distributed ; but this is 

 yet in the distant future, and perhaps the greatest 

 difficulty in its attainment will arise from premature 

 attempts to impose new conditions which, if they are 

 to live, must be of spontaneous growth. 



One of the marked features of Santiago is the steep 

 rock of Santa Lucia rising abruptly near the eastern 

 end of the Alameda. It has been well laid out with 

 winding footpaths, and has a frequented restaurant. 

 The view of the snowy range on one side and the city 

 on the other can scarcely be matched elsewhere in the 

 world. 



On reaching Santiago, I was mainly preoccupied 

 with the question of how to use my short stay with 

 the best advantage so as to see as much as possible 

 of the scenery and vegetation of the great range, con- 



