The Time Machine - International World History Project

The Time Machineselective breeding; now a new and better peach, now aseedless grape, now a sweeter and larger flower, now amore convenient breed of cattle. We improve themgradually, because our ideals are vague and tentative, andour knowledge is very limited; because Nature, too, is shyand slow in our clumsy hands. Some day all this will bebetter organized, and still better. That is the drift of thecurrent in spite of the eddies. The whole world will beintelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will movefaster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In theend, wisely and carefully we shall readjust the balance ofanimal and vegetable me to suit our human needs.‘This adjustment, I say, must have been done, and donewell; done indeed for all Time, in the space of Time acrosswhich my machine had leaped. The air was free fromgnats, the earth from weeds or fungi; everywhere werefruits and sweet and delightful flowers; brilliant butterfliesflew hither and thither. The ideal of preventive medicinewas attained. Diseases had been stamped out. I saw noevidence of any contagious diseases during all my stay.And I shall have to tell you later that even the processes ofputrefaction and decay had been profoundly affected bythese changes.49 of 148