Sect. XVI. 6. i. OF INSTINCT. 107 



fenfe of touch, which they pofTefs in fo eminent a' degree, gives 

 them a great iuperiority of underftanding -, as is well obferved 

 by the ingenious Mr. BufFon. The extremities of other animals 

 terminate in horns, and hoofs, and claws, very unfit for the fen- 

 fation of touch ; whilfl the human hand is finely adapted tc en- 

 compafs its object with this organ of fenfe. 



The elephant is indeed endued with a fine fenfe of feeling at 

 the extremity of his probofcis, and hence has acquired much 

 more accurate ideas of touch and of fight than molt other crea- 

 tures. The two following inftances of the fagacity of thefe an- 

 imals may entertain the reader, as they were told me by fome 

 gentlemen of diftinct obfervation, and undoubted veracity, who 

 had been much converfant with our eaftern lettlements. Firft, 

 the elephants that are ufed to carry the baggage of our armies, 

 are put each under the care of one of the natives of Indofian^ and 

 whiift himfelf and his wife go into the woods to collect, leaves 

 and branches of trees for his food, they fix him to the ground 

 by a length of chain, and frequently leave a child yet unable to 

 walk, under his protection : and the intelligent animal not only 

 defends it, but as it creeps about, when it arrives near the ex- 

 tremity of his chain, he wraps his trunk gently round its body, 

 and brings it again into the centre of his circle. Secondly, the 

 traitor elephants are taught to walk on a narrow path between 

 two pit- falls, which are covered with turf, and then to go into 

 the woods, and to feduce the wild elephants to come that way, 

 who fall into thefe well ; , whiift he pafTes fafe between them : 

 and it is univerfally obferved, that thofe wild elephants that ef- 

 cape the fnare, purfue the traitor with the utmoft vehemence, 

 and if they can overtake him, which fometimes happens, they 

 always beat him to death. 



The monkey has a hand well enough adapted for the fenfe of 

 touch, which contributes to his great facility of imitation ; but 

 in taking objecls with his hands, as a flick or an apple, he puts 

 his thumb on the fame fide of them with his fingers, inftead of 

 counteracting the preflure of his fingers with it : from this neg- 

 lect he is much ilower in acquiring the figures of objects, as he 

 is lefs able to determine the diftances or diameters of their parts, 

 or to diftinguifh their vis inertise from their hardnefs. Helve- 

 tius adds, that the Ihortnefs of his life, his being fugitive be- 

 fore mankind, and his not inhabiting all climates, combine to 

 prevent his improvement. (De l'Efprit. T. 1. p.) There is 

 however at this time an old monkey (hewn in Exeter Change^ 

 London, who having loft his teeth, when nuts are given him, 

 takes a ft one into his hand, and cracks them with it one by oik- ; 

 thus tiimg tools to effeft his purpofe like mankind. 



The 



