Well, if so be, so be. Who can help it? Nature, if not man, has a way however, if not wisdom. In the course of time She disposes of nations and their dreams, as well as man and his, by rotting them and their material splendors back into primal chemical substances and forces and forgetting them. Rome has gone; Greece has gone; and many, many another. But speaking for a nation that wishes to stand forth mentally significant among the peoples of the earth, that wishes to lead or at least be among those that lead, must not thought--intelligent, artistic, accurate vision--be among its primary characteristics? And is it not possible that as with individuals so with nations--where the power to think is lacking failure follows? Sometimes, and in view of the careers of various nations past and still present, one is hounded by the thought that as with individuals so with nations; some are born fools, live fools, and die fools. And may not America perchance be one such? One hopes not. But-- THE DREAM SCENE: _The vicinity of 115th Street and Broadway, New York City, on a warm, lowery May night. Time, 11.15._ _Approach along Broadway from 116th Street George Paul Syphers, Professor of Chemistry; Forbes Mitchell, Professor of Philosophy; Abner Barrett, Professor of Physics. Syphers is medium in height, slim, fiery, black-whiskered, barbered to perfection. He is loquacious and demonstrative. Mitchell is attenuated, humped, gray. He is quite old. Barrett is fifty, blonde, bald, heavy, silent._ SYPHERS (_As they reach the corner._) Well, I turn off here. That was an interesting discussion we had, eh? The fact is, Mitchell, as I told you the other day, I have passed out of my old materialistic point of view to a certain extent--not entirely--but now I see more order in things than I once did--a necessary if mechanistic order. It seems more or less inescapable to me, doesn’t it to you? MITCHELL (_Doubtfully_.) Well, yes, I might say--only--of course---- BARRETT (_Dogmatically._) I do not see how any one can doubt law. Everything obeys law of one kind and another. SYPHERS Quite so! Quite so! Law, of course. Everything obeys a law or laws of one kind and another. Nevertheless, there are so many confusing contradictions. Laws seem to conflict at times, don’t you think, even in chemical and sidereal space. You don’t deny that, do you? BARRETT Still, more knowledge might prove them to be anything but contradictory. SYPHERS