Truly, it is futile to compare an ant with a great pine-tree, in the absolute. Yet as far as _existence_ is concerned, they are not only placed in comparison to one another, they are occasionally pitted against one another. And if it comes to a contest, the little ant will devour the life of the huge tree. If it comes to a contest. And, in the cycles of _existence_, this is the test. From the lowest form of existence, to the highest, the test question is: _Can thy neighbour finally overcome thee?_ If he can, then he belongs to a higher cycle of existence. This is the truth behind the survival of the fittest. Every cycle of existence is established upon the overcoming of the lower cycles of existence. The real question is, wherein does _fitness_ lie? Fitness for what? Fit merely to survive? That which is only fit to survive will survive only to supply food or contribute in some way to the existence of a higher form of life, which is able to do more than survive, which can really _vive_, live. Life is more vivid in the dandelion than in the green fern, or than in a palm tree. Life is more vivid in a snake than in a butterfly. Life is more vivid in a wren than in an alligator. Life is more vivid in a cat than in an ostrich. Life is more vivid in the Mexican who drives the wagon, than in the two horses in the wagon. Life is more vivid in me, than in the Mexican who drives the wagon for me. We are speaking in terms of _existence_: that is, in terms of species, race, or type. The dandelion can take hold of the land, the palm tree is driven into a corner, with the fern. The snake can devour the fiercest insect. The fierce bird can destroy the greatest reptile. The great cat can destroy the greatest bird. The man can destroy the horse, or any animal. One race of man can subjugate and rule another race. All this in terms of _existence_. As far as existence goes, that life-species is the highest which can devour, or destroy, or subjugate every other life-species against which it is pitted in contest. This is a law. There is no escaping this law. Anyone, or any race, trying to escape it, will fall a victim: will fall into subjugation. But let us insist and insist again, we are talking now of existence, of species, of types, of races, of nations, not of single individuals, nor of _beings_. The dandelion in full flower, a little sun bristling with sun-rays on the green earth, is a nonpareil, a nonsuch. Foolish, foolish, foolish to compare it to anything else on earth. It is itself incomparable and unique. But that is the fourth dimension, of _being_. It is in the fourth dimension, nowhere else. Because, in the time-space dimension, any man may tread on the yellow sun-mirror, and it is gone. Any cow may swallow it. Any bunch of ants may annihilate it. This brings us to the inexorable law of life.