There are no vegetables； all things are animal； each electron is an
animal； each molecule is a collection of animals； and each has an
appointed duty to perform and a soul to be saved。 Heaven was not made
for man alone； and oblivion and neglect reserved for the rest of His
creatures。 He gave them life； He gave them humble services to perform；
they have performed them； and they will not be forgotten； they will have
their reward。 Man…always vain； windy； conceited…thinks he will be in the
majority there。 He will be disappointed。 Let him humble himself。 But
for the despised microbe and the persecuted bacillus； who needed a home
and nourishment； he would not have been created。 He has a mission；
therefore a reason for existing： let him do the service he was made for；
and keep quiet。
Three weeks ago I was a man myself； and thought and felt as men think and
feel； I have lived 3；000 years since then ＇microbic time＇； and I see the
foolishness of it now。 We live to learn； and fortunate are we when we
are wise enough to profit by it。
In matters pertaining to microscopy we necessarily have an advantage here
over the scientist of the earth； because； as I have just been indicating；
we see with our naked eyes minutenesses which no man…made microscope can
detect； and are therefore able to register as facts many things which
exist for him as theories only。 Indeed； we know as facts several things
which he has not yet divined even by theory。 For example； he does not
suspect that there is no life but animal life； and that all atoms are
individual animals endowed each with a certain degree of consciousness；
great or small； each with likes and dislikes； predilections and
aversionsthat； in a word； each has a character； a character of its own。
Yet such is the case。 Some of the molecules of a stone have an aversion
for some of those of a vegetable or any other creature and will not
associate with themand would not be allowed to； if they tried。 Nothing
is more particular about society than a molecule。 And so there are no
end of castes； in this matter India is not a circumstance。
〃Tell me； Franklin ＇a microbe of great learning＇； is the ocean an
individual； an animal； a creature？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then waterany water…is an individual？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Suppose you remove a drop of it？ Is what is left an individual？〃
〃Yes； and so is the drop。〃
〃Suppose you divide the drop？〃
〃Then you have two individuals。〃
〃Suppose you separate the hydrogen and the oxygen？〃
〃Again you have two individuals。 But you haven't water any more。〃
〃Of course。 Certainly。 Well； suppose you combine them again； but in a
new way： make the proportions equalone part oxygen to one of hydrogen？〃
〃But you know you can't。 They won't combine on equal terms。〃
I was ashamed to have made that blunder。 I was embarrassed； to cover it
I started to say we used to combine them like that where I came from； but
thought better of it； and stood pat。
〃Now then；〃 I said； 〃it amounts to this： water is an individual； an
animal； and is alive； remove the hydrogen and it is an animal and is
alive； the remaining oxygen is also an individual； an animal； and is
alive。 Recapitulation： the two individuals combined constitute a third
individualand yet each continues to be an individual。〃
I glanced at Franklin； but 。 。 。 upon reflection； held my peace。 I
could have pointed out to him that here was mute Nature explaining the
sublime mystery of the Trinity so luminouslythat even the commonest
understanding could comprehend it； whereas many a trained master of words
had labored to do it with speech and failed。 But he would not have known
what I was talking about。 After a moment I resumed：
〃Listenand see if I have understood you rightly； to wit： All the atoms
that constitute each oxygen molecule are separate individuals； and each
is a living animal； all the atoms that constitute each hydrogen molecule
are separate individuals； and each one is a living animal； each drop of
water consists of millions of living animals； the drop itself is an
individual； a living animal； and the wide ocean is another。 Is that it？〃
〃Yes； that is correct。〃
〃By George； it beats the band！〃
He liked the expression； and set it down in his tablets。
〃Franklin； we've got it down fine。 And to thinkthere are other animals
that are still smaller than a hydrogen atom； and yet it is so small that
it takes five thousand of them to make a moleculea molecule so minute
that it could get into a microbe's eye and he wouldn't know it was
there！〃
〃Yes； the wee creatures that inhabit the bodies of us germs and feed upon
us； and rot us with disease： Ah； what could they have been created for？
They give us pain； they make our lives miserable； they murder us…and
where is the use of it all； where the wisdom？ Ah； friend Bkshp ＇microbic
orthography＇； we live in a strange and unaccountable world； our birth is
a mystery； our little life is a mystery； a trouble； we pass and are seen
no more； all is mystery； mystery； mystery； we know not whence we came；
nor why； we know not whither we go； nor why we go。 We only know we were
not made in vain； we only know we were made for a wise purpose； and that
all is well！ We shall not be cast aside in contumely and unblest after
all we have suffered。 Let us be patient； let us not repine； let us
trust。 The humblest of us is cared foroh； believe it！and this
fleeting stay is not the end！〃
You notice that？ He did not suspect that he； also； was engaged in
gnawing； torturing； defiling； rotting； and murdering a fellow…creature
he and all the swarming billions of his race。 None of them suspects it。
That is significant。 It is suggestive irresistibly suggestive
insistently suggestive。 It hints at the possibility that the procession
of known and listed devourers and persecutors is not complete。 It
suggests the possibility； and substantially the certainty； that man is
himself a microbe； and his globe a blood…corpuscle drifting with its
shining brethren of the Milky Way down a vein of the Master and Maker of
all things； whose body； mayhapglimpsed part…wise from the earth by
night； and receding and lost to view in the measureless remotenesses of
spaceis what men name the Universe。
Yes； that was all old to me； but to find that our little old familiar
microbes were themselves loaded up with microbes that fed them； enriched
them； and persistently and faithfully preserved them and their poor old
tramp…planet from destructionoh； that was new； and too delicious！
I wanted to see them！ I was in a fever to see them！ I had lenses to
two…million power； but of course the field was no bigger than a person's
finger…nail； and so it wasn't possible to compass a considerable
spectacle or a landscape with them； whereas what I had been craving was a
thirty…foot field； which would represent a spread of several miles of
country and show up things in a way to make them worth looking at。 The
boys and I had often tried to contrive this improvement； but had failed。
I mentioned the matter to the Duke and it made him smile。 He said it was
a quite simple thing…he had it at home。 I was eager to bargain for the
secret； but he said it was a trifle and not worth bargaining for。
He said：
〃Hasn't it occurred to you that all you have to do is to bend an X…ray to
an angle…value of 8。4 and refract it with a parabolism； and there you
are？〃
Upon my word； I had never thought of that simple thing！ You could have
knocked me down with a feather。
We rigged a microscope for an exhibition at once and put a drop of my
blood under it； which got mashed flat when the lens got shut down upon
it。 The result was beyond my dreams。 The field stretched miles away；
green and undulating； threaded with streams and roads； and bordered all
down the mellowing distances with picturesque hills。 And there was a
great white city of tents； and everywhere were parks of artillery and
divisions of cavalry and infantry waiting。 We had hit a lucky moment；
evidently there was going to be a march…past or some thing like that。 At
the front where the chief banner flew there was a large and showy tent；
with showy guards on duty； and about it were some other tents of a swell
kind。
The warriorsparticularly the officerswere lovely to look at； they
were so trim…built and so graceful and so handsomely uniformed。 They
were quite distinct； vividly distinct； for it was a fine day； and they
were so immensely magnified that they looked to be fully a finger…nail
high。＇My own expression； and a quite happy one。 I said to the Duke：
〃Your Grace； they're just about finger…milers！〃
〃How do you mean； m' lord？〃
〃This。 You notice the stately General standing there with his hand
resting upon the muzzle of a cannon？ Well； if you could stick your
little finger down against the ground alongside of him his plumes would
just reach up to where your nail joins the flesh。〃 The Duke said
〃finger…milers was good〃…good and exact； and he afterward used it several
times himself。＇ Everywhere you could see officers moving smartly about；
and they looked gay； but the common soldiers looked sad。 Many wife…
swinks ＇〃 Swinks；〃 an atomic race