Page:Poet Lore, volume 4, 1892.djvu/658

 years they recognize that life is but an everlasting struggle for mere existence. Men have been striving for power and glory, coveting riches, hugging their souls in the sweet embrace of sentimentality. The cold reason of Newton, fully penetrating the nothingness and perversion of men’s endeavors, frightened and terrified them. They dreaded the cold but truthful figures with which he measured the universe, the unmerciful consequences of his ice-cold but indisputable calculations ; and lo! to-day mankind stands before the throne of the Darwinian god,—a horrible god of force and power. Certain people have fought this god for years; but the purpose of the fight is only to put the dethroned gloomy god of religious fanaticism upon the throne of the god of force and power. But the fight against the Darwinian god is unequal. Should the whole world undertake the war, he cannot be dethroned. The throne of this god can be undermined only by principles of humanity.”

My friend paused. His words thundered like the stern sentence of a just and austere judge. But I could not see his face; for we were in utter darkness. I kept silence. Suddenly my friend began again:—

“What is that? Our machine is shaking! We have lost our balance! We sink!”

My friend’s doleful voice so frightened me that my heart grew cold.

“Drop the machine!” my friend exclaimed. “One of us must sacrifice himself, else both of us will perish!”

I did not answer; I could not. I only felt that my senses were failing.

“Leave, or I shall push you down!” my friend demanded again.

“Tell me the name of your motor, at least!” I pleaded. At the same time I felt that the machine was overturned. We fell rapidly headlong; I dropped.

It seemed to me as though I heard my friend’s wild laughter and these words,—

“Good-by forever! My motor is known to all the world. It is the ever-creating—fancy.”