APE, AN UGLY COPY OF MAN. 225 



pened to see the poultry killed, and was so dexter- 

 ous a mimic, that, getting into the hen-house, he 

 twisted the necks of a vast number of chickens in a 

 trice. 



I delight in tracing the amiable affections, even in 

 animals, and hope you will collect some more instances 

 of the same nature. 



I enclose a paper given me by Mr. Hervey, with a 

 general account of the monkey tribe, that, I think, 

 will afford you an half-hour's amusement. 



Your very sincere and affectionate friend, 



Emily. 



That class of animals called apes, seems to excite 

 peculiar interest, from the resemblance of their figure 

 to that of man, their capacity of walking upright, and 

 their propensity to imitation. We are apt to attri- 

 bute to them peculiar sagacity, from their comical 

 tricks ; though it seems, that many other animals far 

 excel them in their wild state, as to their natural 

 habits, and the policy of their communities. Their 

 form, indeed, approaches to ours ; yet it is but a hide- 

 ous resemblance, characteristic of vice and deformity. 

 The satyrs and bacchanals in heathen mythology 



Q 



