"The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago... had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands"

Henry Ellis evokes a stark image of human nature’s dual capacity for appreciation and destruction. The celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars, are not only poetic symbols of beauty, mystery, and constancy, but also literal sources of life, wonder, and inspiration. Ellis suggests that their continued existence and untouchable brilliance are owed to their absolute physical inaccessibility. If these wonders had been as easily reached as forests, animals, oceans, or minerals, they too might have suffered irreversible exploitation or complete annihilation at human hands.

By extending the metaphor, Ellis comments on humanity’s historical tendency to take possession of, consume, or lay waste to whatever resources are available. From the extinction of countless species through hunting and habitat loss, to deforestation, pollution, and the drive for endless economic gain, examples abound of human disregard for the long-term value and intrinsic worth of natural phenomena. The suggestion is not merely that humans are capable of destruction, but that they are drawn to it, often unable to resist the urge to seize, alter or control what lies within their grasp, regardless of the consequences.

The quote serves both as a critique and a caution. It forces reflection on what remains safe only because it is beyond our reach, and what might happen if technological advancements eliminated such barriers. Moreover, it implicitly mourns the loss of what has already been consumed or spoiled on earth, contrasting it with the untouched grandeur of the celestial realm. In a broader philosophical sense, Ellis prompts readers to consider qualities of reverence, restraint, and humility, urging that true appreciation may start only when one recognizes the limits of rightful dominion, and when wonder is allowed to remain unspoiled by ownership or exploitation. Humanity’s relationship with the world, then, should be shaped as much by preservation and awe as by use and mastery.