cannot grasp, your life is made up of experiences and aspirations of which
he has no conception. You can see your superiority to the savage. Let me
help you to look forward and see your inferiority to the coming man, who,
I assure you, will never tire of life while anything that God has made
remains to be studied. As the mind expands, new wonders and new beauties
in creation will unfold themselves and your race will learn to look back
with pity upon your present age, with its mean and trivial occupations."

"But, Thorwald," I asked, "can you not tell us something of these higher
pursuits?"

"But very little," he answered. "I might give you one or two hints of some
things which I think lie nearest you, if indeed you have not already begun
to consider them. I need hardly speak of astronomy, which, from the nature
of the case, is the earliest of all sciences wherever there is intelligent
life to view the works of creation. You will find great profit in
advancing in this study as rapidly as possible. We have not yet ceased to
pursue it, and I think it is one branch of knowledge which will never be
exhausted, in the present life at least. Our achievements in astronomy
have been marvelous.

"Do not neglect to look in the other direction also for evidences of God's
power and wisdom. The microscope will almost keep pace with the telescope
in revealing the wonders of creation. It will greatly assist you in many
of your higher employments.

"One thing that you will doubtless soon undertake is the study of the
speech of animals, which will go hand in hand with the development of
their intelligence. Both of these will claim much attention, but very
inadequate results will be obtained until after you have tamed and