nd mishaps of the
hungry make up natural history. The eye of the eagle is developed that
it may see its prey from afar, its wings are strong that it may pounce
upon it, its beak and talons are sharpened that it may tear it in
pieces. By right of these superiorities, the eagle reigns as king among
birds.

"The wings of the eagle, the sinews of the tiger, the brain of the man,
are primarily weapons. Each creature seizes the one that it finds at
hand, and uses it for offense and defense. The weapon is improved by
use. The brain of the man has proved a better weapon than beak or
talons, and so it has come to pass that man is lord of creation. He is
able to devour at will creatures who once were his rivals.

"By using his brain, he has sought out many inventions. The sum total of
these inventions we call by the imposing name Civilization. It is a
marvelously tempered weapon, in the hands of the strong races. Alas,
for the backward peoples who fall beneath it. One device after another
has been added for the extermination of the slow-witted.

"Even religion itself assumes to the anthropologist a sinister aspect.
The strong nations have always been religious. Their religion has helped
them in their struggle for the mastery. There are many unpleasant
episodes in history. Spiritual wealth, like material wealth, is often
predatory.

"In the Book of Judges there is a curious glimpse into a certain kind of
religiousness. A man of Mt. Ephraim named Micah had engaged a young
Levite from Bethlehem-Judah as his spiritual adviser. He promised him a
modest salary, ten shekels of silver annually, and a suit of clothes,
and his board. 'And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and
the young man was unto him as one of his sons. And Micah consecrated the
Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of
Micah. Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing
I have a Levite to my priest.'

"This pleasant relation continued till a freebooting party of Danites
appeared. They had discovered a bit of country where the inhabitants
'dwelt in security, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure;
for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put
_them_ to shame in any thing, and they were far from the Zidonians.' It
was just the opportunity for expansion which the children of Dan had
been waiting for, so they marched merrily against the unprotected
valley. On the way they s