dest and the
most stable civilizations in this world. Human society by way of
contrast has created the youngest and the most unstable civilization
amongst higher animals. Throughout history we find collapse after
collapse of civilization. Quite possibly civilizations higher than ours
may have existed in prehistoric times. Right?"

Lee nodded assent.

"Fine. From that it follows that Man has much to learn from the society
of the higher insects. Their ingenious laws and methods, their "spirit
of the hive," the incredible renouncement of individual existence and
individual advantage, their undying devotion to the race.... We must
study those if ever we want to reach anything like stability in _our_
society. We ought to model our civilization after theirs, especially now
that we have this new species "_Ant-termes-pacificus_" which has
renounced war. There is something basically wrong with the type of
civilizations which Man builds and which ceaselessly devour one another.
No doubt you see the third World War approaching inexorably just as I
do; civilization forging ahead, for what? For the big plunge into
suicide. It's sickening to think of it. Do you feel I'm right?"

Unconscious of himself Lee had arisen and paced the room. With his lean
long-legged figure bending slightly forward and wild-maned head bowed
down in thought he resembled a big heron stalking the shallows for prey.

* * * * *

Fascinated, Oona's eyes followed the two contrasting men as their paths
criss-crossed like guards before some palace gate. She alone had kept
her seat. It was with greater assurance than before that Lee now spoke.

"I can see eye to eye with you, Scriven, as to the wrongs of man-made
civilization and its probable course. But I do not think it desirable
that we should model human society after the insect states. Ingenious as
it is, their system is the most terrifying tyrany I could imagine. Just
think of it: they literally work themselves to death. Workers who have
outlived their usefulness are either killed off, or else they become the
bloated, living containers for the tribe's staple food."

"You, yourself, can see the similar trend in Man, today. Our production
of new thought is lagging; not starting from the roots, it becomes
superficial, cut off from the roots. The results? The curse of the
Babylonian confusion of the tongues under which we live. We are rapidly
becoming thought-impotent. Cerebra