pture or overcome
both. Though less capable than most other animals of living on the herbs
and the fruits that unaided nature supplies, this wonderful faculty
taught him to govern and direct nature to his own benefit, and make her
produce food for him, when and where he pleased. From the moment when
the first skin was used as a covering, when the first rude spear was
formed to assist in the chase, when fire was first used to cook his
food, when the first seed was sown or shoot planted, a grand revolution
was effected in nature, a revolution which in all the previous ages of
the earth's history had had no parallel, for a being had arisen who was
no longer necessarily subject to change with the changing universe--a
being who was in some degree superior to nature, inasmuch as he knew how
to control and regulate her action, and could keep himself in harmony
with her, not by a change in body, but by an advance of mind.

Here, then, we see the true grandeur and dignity of man. On this view of
his special attributes, we may admit, that even those who claim for him
a position as an order, a class, or a sub-kingdom by himself, have some
show of reason on their side. He is, indeed, a being apart, since he is
not influenced by the great laws which irresistibly modify all other
organic beings. Nay more; this victory which he has gained for himself,
gives him a directing influence over other existences. Man has not only
escaped "natural selection" himself, but he is actually able to take
away some of that power from nature which before his appearance she
universally exercised. We can anticipate the time when the earth will
produce only cultivated plants and domestic animals; when man's
selection shall have supplanted "natural selection;" and when the ocean
will be the only domain in which that power can be exerted, which for
countless cycles of ages ruled supreme over all the earth.

_Their Bearing on the future Development of Man._

We now find ourselves enabled to answer those who maintain, that if Mr.
Darwin's theory of the Origin of Species is true, man too must change in
form, and become developed into some other animal as different from his
present self as he is from the Gorilla or the Chimpanzee; and who
speculate on what this form is likely to be. But it is evident that such
will not be the case; for no change of conditions is conceivable, which
will render any important alteration of his form and organization so
univers