Environment Quote by Erasmus Darwin
““Each pregnant Oak ten thousand acorns forms Profusely scatter'd by autumnal storms; Ten thousand seeds each pregnant poppy sheds Profusely scatter'd from its waving heads; The countless Aphides, prolific tribe, With greedy trunks the honey'd sap imbibe; Swarm on each leaf with eggs or embryons big, And pendent nations tenant every twig ... —All these, increasing by successive birth, Would each o'erpeople ocean, air, and earth. So human progenies, if unrestrain'd, By climate friended, and by food sustain'd, O'er seas and soils, prolific hordes! would spread Erelong, and deluge their terraqueous bed; But war, and pestilence, disease, and dearth, Sweep the superfluous myriads from the earth... The births and deaths contend with equal strife, And every pore of Nature teems with Life; Which buds or breathes from Indus to the Poles, And Earth's vast surface kindles, as it rolls!””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The History of Nature” (published 1794)
The passage likens human proliferation to natural cycles, warning that war and disease curb overpopulation.
In simple terms: Human growth mirrors nature, but conflict limits it.
Key Takeaway
Balance growth with responsibility.
Themes
nature
population
conflict
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- resource management
- public health policy
Key Concepts
ecology
evolution
carrying capacity
Questions to Reflect On
- What limits unchecked population growth?
- How can societies mitigate war and disease?
A Different Perspective
May ignore socioeconomic factors.
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