Загублений світ
Question!
Wecouldnot—oratleastwehadnotsucceededuptodateinmakingorganiclifeinourlaboratoriesoutofinorganicmaterials.Thegulfbetweenthedeadandthelivingwassomethingwhichourchemistrycouldnotasyetbridge.ButtherewasahigherandsubtlerchemistryofNature,which,workingwithgreatforcesoverlongepochs,mightwellproduceresultswhichwereimpossibleforus.Therethemattermustbeleft.
Thisbroughtthelecturertothegreatladderofanimallife,beginninglowdowninmolluscsandfeebleseacreatures,thenuprungbyrungthroughreptilesandfishes,tillatlastwecametoakangaroo-rat,acreaturewhichbroughtforthitsyoungalive,thedirectancestorofallmammals,andpresumably,therefore,ofeveryoneintheaudience.("No,no,"fromascepticalstudentinthebackrow.)Iftheyounggentlemanintheredtiewhocried"No,no,"andwhopresumablyclaimedtohavebeenhatchedoutofanegg,wouldwaituponhimafterthelecture,hewouldbegladtoseesuchacuriosity.(Laughter.)Itwasstrangetothinkthattheclimaxofalltheage-longprocessofNaturehadbeenthecreationofthatgentlemanintheredtie.Buthadtheprocessstopped?Wasthisgentlemantobetakenasthefinaltype—thebe-allandend-allofdevelopment?Hehopedthathewouldnothurtthefeelingsofthegentlemanintheredtieifhemaintainedthat,whatevervirtuesthatgentlemanmightpossessinprivatelife,stillthevastprocessesoftheuniversewerenotfullyjustifiediftheyweretoendentirelyinhisproduction.Evolutionwasnotaspentforce,butonestillworking,andevengreaterachievementswereinstore.
Havingthus,amidageneraltitter,playedveryprettilywithhisinterrupter,thelecturerwentbacktohispictureofthepast,thedryingoftheseas,theemergenceofthesand-bank,thesluggish,viscouslifewhichlayupontheirmargins,theovercrowdedlagoons,thetendencyoftheseacreaturestotakerefugeuponthemud-flats,theabundanceoffoodawaitingthem,theirconsequentenormousgrowth.
