For many years past science had been like the voice crying in the wilderness, and few, a very few only, had listened.

Men had, indeed, come to the clubs; but they had gone away home again, and, as the swine of the proverb, returned to their wallowing in the mire.

One blade of grass still grew where two or even three might be grown; he questioned whether farmers had any real desire to grow the extra blades.

If they did, they had merely to employ the means provided for them.

Everything had been literally put into their hands; but what was the result?
Why, nothing--in point of fact, nothing.