The bystander., 1921-09-15
Something to
btnk b0uf
THE QUEsTIoNER.
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yXIHEN Shakespeare wanted to ex-
wv press the tragedy involved in
the snuf1ing out Of the life Of his most
intellectual character, he did it by
these words, "The rest is silence"
He might have put it in another
way, by saying that Hamlet would ask
no more questions. For that was his
most disconcerting habit.
Keeping silence before puzzling
world, and pnzzling universe, is
something that man has never done.
The human being who just asked
the reason for the first nightfall and
the first appearance Of the stars
stood on the threshold Of all modern
scientific investigation.
So, If 1t were necessary to find a
definition of man which would differ
entiate him from all the rest Of crea-
lures, 1t would be sufficient to say Of
him: HE is the animal that asks
questions"
Rudyard Kipling in striking line
talked of ''the law OF the jungle"
The writer's OF fables have not
pulled the long bow in attributing to
the beasts the sense of justice, even
If they were making fun Of society
in doing so. So the lion stands for
the maker of rules, aud the monkey
for him who evades them.
So law is not peculiar to the chill
dren Of Adam.
The animals know political econ
omy. "Go to the ant thou sluggard,"
said King Solomon.
This little creature shows what can
be done through the organized efforts
OF thousands Of insects, whose opera
tons could be stopped In q moment
4 by the foot Of passing giant In the
shape Of mischiev0us boy.
So business organization is not ex-
clusively human.
of a beehive without realizing that
the creatures who made 1t know geom-
etry and architecture. :.
The cells are SO csz1Structed as to
give the maxsMum of strength with
the minimum of expenditure In the
way Of material.
So the Brooklyn bridge, or the dome
Of st. Peters, is not proof of human
superiority.
There is solitary eagle to be seen
every day, soaring over a lake In west
ern Ontario. Once he had q mate.
But she disappeared one winter. Since
then the widower has never married.
The natives say that It Is the habit
OF these birds to be perpetua1ly true
to their first and only love.
So constancy Is not the exclusive
virtue OF our race.
When Christ wanted to express his
affection for Jerusalem, he could think
OF nothing better to say than that he
would have gathered its people about
him, as hen gathers her chickens un-
der her wings. This timid bird Will
face any peril If she thinks that her
young are In danger.
5 In the same way the bear Of the
North woods, which will fly before
man under ordinary circumstances.
will fight to the death II she thinks
her cubs are threatened.
So family affection and devotion do
not set mankind apart from the rest
OF the animal Kingdom.
Only the other day raccoon at the
Bronx geological gardens In New York,
was In danger of starving to death be-
cause the gatekeeper who had tanned
and petted him had been sent to the
hospital The animal would not take
food from a stranger.
SO fidelity and gratitude are not con-
<I,o Jordc nF pron tiOn = 1. .4s
But there is no reason to believe
that the beasts Of the Jungle that
have their hunting laws, or the ants
that lay up their store for winter. or
the bees that know practical geome
+ try, or the eagle that mourns his dead