accumulated nothing for us. Nothing for our good. The only things that have
been stored up have been for our evil and destruction, diseases and
weaknesses crossed and cultivated and rendered almost part and parcel of our
very bones. Now let us begin to roll back the tide of death, and to set our
faces
steadily to a future of life. It should be the sacred and sworn duty of
every one, once at least during lifetime, to do something in person towards
this end. It would be a delight and pleasure to me to do something every
day, were it ever so minute. To reflect that another human being, if at a
distance of ten thousand years from the year 1883, would enjoy one hour's
more life, in the sense of fulness of life, in consequence of anything I had
done in my little span, would be to me a peace of soul.

CHAPTER X

UNITED effort through geological time in front is but the beginning of an
idea. I am convinced that much more can be done, and that the length of time
may be almost immeasurably shortened. The general principles that are now in
operation are of the simplest and most elementary character, yet they have
already made considerable difference. I am not content with these. There
must be much more--there must be things which are at present unknown by
whose aid advance may be made. Research proceeds upon the same old lines and
runs in the ancient grooves. Further, it is restricted by the
ultra-practical views which are alone deemed reasonable. But there should be
no limit placed on the mind. The purely ideal is as worthy of pursuit as the
practical, and the mind is not to be pinned to dogmas of science any more
than to dogmas of superstition. Most injurious
of all is the continuous circling on the same path, and it is
from this that I wish to free my mind.