is animal life! It adds a new touch of interest to the
forbidding cactus to know that the cactus wren builds her nest between
its leaves. The spines probably serve to protect the bird from her
enemies. But are they not also a menace to her and to her young? But
this "procreant cradle" of a bird in the arms of the fanged desert
growth softens its aspect a little.

* * * * *

The tree of forbidden fruit--the Tree of Knowledge--how copiously has
mankind eaten of it during these latter generations!--and the chaotic
state of the world to-day is the result. We have been forcing Nature's
hand on a tremendous scale. We have gained more knowledge and power
than we can legitimately use. We are drunk with the sense of power. We
challenge the very gods. The rapid increase of inventions and the
harnessing of the powers of Nature have set all nations to
manufacturing vastly more goods than they can use and they all become
competitors for world markets, and rivalries and jealousies spring up,
and the seeds of war are planted. The rapid growth of towns and cities
is one of the results. The sobering and humanizing influence of the
country and the farm are less and less in evidence; the excitement,
the excesses, the intoxication of the cities are more and more. The
follies and extravagances of wealth lead to the insolence and
rebellion of the poor. Material power! Drunk with this power, the
world is running amuck to-day. We have got rid of kings and despots
and autocratic governments; now if we could only keep sober and make
democracy safe and enjoyable! Too much science has brought us to
grief. Behold what Chemistry has done to put imperial power in our
hands during the last decade!

* * * * *

The grand movements of history and of mankind are like the movements
of nature, under the same law, elemental, regardless of waste and ruin
and delays--not the result of human will or design, but of forces we
wot not of. They are of the same order as floods, tornadoes,
earthquakes, a release of human forces that have slumbered. The chaos
of Europe to-day shows the play of such elemental forces, unorganized,
at cross-purposes, antagonistic, fighting it out in the attempt to
find an equilibrium. The pain, the suffering, the waste, the delays,
do not trouble the gods at all. Since man is a part of nature, why
should not masses of men be ruled by natural law? The human will
reaches bu