STUDY XII. 425 



ot pliancy, by dividing them into feveral fingers 

 and toes, and thefe again into feveral joints ; far- 

 ther, (he has furnifhed them, on the points of con- 

 tact, with eladic half pincers, which prefent, at 

 once, refiftance in their callous and prominent 

 parts, and an exquifite fenfibility in the retreating 

 parts. 



It is matter of aflonifhment to me, however, that 

 Nature mould have diffufed the fenfe of touching 

 over the whole furface of the human body, which 

 becomes thence expofed to variety of fuffering, 

 while no considerable benefit feems to refuk fiom 

 it. Man is the only animal laid under the necef- 

 fityof clothing himfelf. There are, indeed, fome in- 

 fects which make cafes for themfelvcs, fuch as the 

 moth ; but they are produced in places where their 

 clothing is, if I may fay fo, ready made. This 

 necefficy, which is become one of the mod inex- 

 hauftible fources of human vanity, is, in my opi- 

 nion, one of the mod humiliating proofs of our 

 wretchednefs. Man is the only being who is 

 afhamed of appearing naked. This is a feeling of 

 which I do not difcern the reafon in Nature, nor 

 the fimilitude in the inftinct of other animals. Be- 

 fides, independently of all fenfe of fhame, he is 

 conftrained., by powerful neceflity, to clothe him- 

 felf, in every variety of climate. 



Certain 



