12 HANDS AND PAWS. 
With the exception of a few small species, such as the marmosets and the lemurs, the 
Quadrumana are not very pleasing animals in aspect or habits; while the larger apes and 
baboons are positively disgusting. The air of grotesque humanity that characterises them 
is horribly suggestive of human idiocy; and we approach an imprisoned baboon with 
much the same feeling of repugnance that would be excited by a debased and brutal 
maniac. This aversion seems to be caused not so much by the resemblance that the ape 
bears to man, but by the horror lest man should degenerate until he resembled the ape. 
It is true that the naturalist learns to see wonder or beauty in all things of nature, and 
therefore looks with lively interest on such animals as the shark, the toad, the viper, the 
vulture, the hyena, or the ape. But still, these creatures are less pleasing in his sight 
than many others which may be not so highly developed; and in truth there are few 
who, if the choice lay between the two fates, would not prefer to suffer from the fangs 
and claws of the lion, than from the teeth and hands of the ape. 
Although these animals are capable of assuming a partially erect position, yet their 
habitual attitude is on all fours, like the generality of the mammalia. Even the most 
accomplished ape is but a bad walker when he discards the use of his two upper limbs, 
and trusts for support and progression to the hinder legs only. There are many dogs 
which can walk, after the biped manner, with a firmer step and a more assured demeanour 
than the apes, although they do not so closely resemble the human figure. 
We are all familiar with the small monkeys that are led about the streets in company 
with a barrel-organ, or seated, in equestrian fashion, upon a bear or dog. These poor 
little creatures have been trained to stand upon their hind feet, and to shuttle along at a 
slow and awkward pace. But if they are startled, and so forget for a moment their 
acquired art, or if they wish to hurry their pace, they drop down on all fours, and 
seamper off with an air of easy comfort that contrasts forcibly with their former con- 
strained and vaccillating hobble. The difficulty seems to increase almost proportionately 
with the size of the animal, and the largest apes, such as the orang-outan, are forced to 
balance themselves with outstretched arms. 
However carefully a monkey may be eductaed, yet it never can assume an attitude truly 
erect, like that of man. The construction of its whole frame is such, that its knees are 
always bent more or less, so that a firm and steady step is rendered impossible. When in 
the enjoyment of liberty among their native haunts, none of the monkey tribes seem to 
use their hind legs exclusively for walking, although they often raise themselves in a 
manner similar to that of the bears, and other animals, when they wish to take a more 
extended view of the surrounding localities. 
On account of the structure of the limbs, the term “hand” is given to their extremi- 
ties ; but hardly with perfect fitness. It must be borne in mind that the thumb is not 
invariably found on the fore extremities of these animals. In several genera of the 
monkeys, the fore-paws are destitute of effective thumbs, and the hand-like grasp is 
limited to the hinder feet. The so-called hands of the monkey tribes will not bear 
comparison with those of man. Although the thumb possesses great freedom of motion, 
and can be opposed to the fingers in a manner resembling the hand of man, yet 
there is no intellectual power in the monkey hand ; none of that characteristic contour 
which speaks of the glorious human soul so strongly, that an artist can sketch a single 
hand, and in that one member exhibit the individuality of its owner! The monkey's 
“hand” is a paw—a thieving, crafty, slinking paw, and not a true hand. So is his foot 
but a paw, and not a true foot, formed for grasping and not for walking. Man seems to 
be the only earthly being that possesses true feet and hands. Some animals patter along 
upon their paws, some trot and gallop upon hoofs, others propel themselves with 
paddles ; but Man alone can walk. Man is never so much Man as when erect, whether 
standing or walking. It is no mere figure of speech to say that man walks with God. 
In order to bring this point more clearly before the eyes of the reader, the skeleton of 
a man is contrasted with that of the gorilla, the most highly organized of all the apes. 
The heavy, ill-balanced form of the ape; its head sunk upon its shoulders ; its long, 
uncouth arms, with those enormous paws at their extremities; its short, bowed, and 
tottering legs, unable to support the huge body without the help of the arms; the massive 
