Портрет художника в юности
Chapter 3
Trytoimaginetheawfulmeaningofthis.Youhaveoftenseenthesandontheseashore.Howfineareitstinygrains!Andhowmanyofthosetinylittlegrainsgotomakeupthesmallhandfulwhichachildgraspsinitsplay.Nowimagineamountainofthatsand,amillionmileshigh,reachingfromtheearthtothefarthestheavens,andamillionmilesbroad,extendingtoremotestspace,andamillionmilesinthickness;andimaginesuchanenormousmassofcountlessparticlesofsandmultipliedasoftenasthereareleavesintheforest,dropsofwaterinthemightyocean,feathersonbirds,scalesonfish,hairsonanimals,atomsinthevastexpanseoftheair:andimaginethatattheendofeverymillionyearsalittlebirdcametothatmountainandcarriedawayinitsbeakatinygrainofthatsand.Howmanymillionsuponmillionsofcenturieswouldpassbeforethatbirdhadcarriedawayevenasquarefootofthatmountain,howmanyeonsuponeonsofagesbeforeithadcarriedawayall?Yetattheendofthatimmensestretchoftimenotevenoneinstantofeternitycouldbesaidtohaveended.Attheendofallthosebillionsandtrillionsofyearseternitywouldhavescarcelybegun.
