In view of the above facts, which might be enlarged and extended if necessary, it is seen that as soon as man rises above the level of the beast or savage--as soon as he begins to manifest culture and civilization--he begins to exercise a certain "control" over the procreative FUNCTION, and in the direction of the limitation of the size of his family of offspring. The contention of the modern advocates of scientific Birth Control is that the "new ideas" on the subject are simply a natural and inevitable evolution from the degrees of "control" which man has exercised since the time he emerged from savagery. The later developments are no more "unnatural" than the earlier--nor the accepted methods and forms any more "natural" than those which are now opposed by the more conservative elements of society. When anyone begins to talk about things being "natural" or "unnatural," respectively, he should tread softly and watch his steps carefully. For at every step he treads upon instances of "unnatural" modes and methods of living. Strictly speaking, it is "unnatural" to wear clothes, or to cook food, or to live in houses, or to ride in conveyances or on horseback. All of these things have been evolved by the use of intellect and reason, and are not instinctive or "natural" to man. Birds build nests, wasps build shelter, hornets build homes, bees build honey-combs, worms build cocoons, snails build shells--all by instinct and "naturally"--and the young of such species do not have to be TAUGHT how to do these things. But the young of the human race requires to be taught such things as above mentioned as having been evolved by man in the course of his rise from savagery--instinct will not do it for them. And all of these things outside the plane of instinct, and within the plane of intellect, cannot be called "natural" in the strict sense of the term. You think that I am exaggerating the matter, perhaps. Well, then, I ask you to consider the meaning of the two terms which I have employed so freely in the foregoing paragraphs: First, let us consider the term, "NATURAL"; we find it defined as "FIXED OR DETERMINED BY NATURE, AND, THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO NATURE, AND NOT ARTIFICIAL, ASSUMED, OR ACQUIRED." Next, let us consider the term, "INSTINCT"; we find it defined as "NATURAL IMPULSE, OR UNCONSCIOUS, INVOLUNTARY, OR UNREASONING PROMPTING TO ANY ACTION." It will be seen, accordingly, that merely the most elemental and primitive activities of man are "natural" in this sense; and that all his acquired activities and methods are "not natural."