"THE BEST IS YET TO BE."

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 134, 8 June 1907, Page 6

"THE BEST IS YET TO BE."

Mr Ddoley has somewhere an amusing comparison between human advancement and a merry-go-round. While we think we are making splendid progress we are really returning to the point whence we started. This, of course, is based on our constantly and increasing knowledge of old civilisations. But if we are to believe that interesting observer, Dr Saleeby, this is a most shallow view. We, the heirs of all the ages, are mere babies in intellectual and moral development. " The human race is supposed to have existed between 200,000 and 300,000 year," he quotes with great approval from an article ■by a distinguished American thinker, " let us say '250,000 years. It has been conscious of its existence only about 100,000 years, and really alive as a psychic being less than 5000 years. Tne most that it has accomplished of any value to itself has been done within 2000 years, and its great work" within 200 years. In a word, relatively speaking, man has only just begun to exist." This summary led up to by a consideration of the * problem of life on Mars. The American Professor, assuming the greater antiquity of Mars, affirms that the evidence afforded by its canals suggests a vast psychoaoic age, or age of mind, on thai- planet. There are many considerations which support the speculation that the evolution of an ( intelligent race upon Mars might well have been achieved so long as 24,000,- j 000 years, in contrast to the few thpusand"years of our ow^i age of mind. Reducing the whole pasts of the earth and Mars to a scale of a day, he estimates the age,of mind on the earth at six and a half minutes, and on Mars at six hours. Pessimists are to consider these figures and cheer up. The Golden Age of man lies before him, not behind, and a contemplation of that "decadent old orb," instead of depressing us, should " inspire us with thankfulness that we are young, with faith in an unlimited future and with buoyant aspirations for the progress of humanity." In short, " What's past is prologue," and "The best is yet to be." ■ . , ...■',■■ ' ' ■ .