CIiap.L ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 21 



caught in different parts of Europe, going upon all four. One of 

 them was well known in England, under the name of Peter the 

 Wild Boy ; for he was caught in the woods of Hanover not many 

 years ago, and brought to England, where I faw him *• And there 

 is another very remarkable inftance, which I have mentioned in 

 the third volume of this work f, of a quadruped of the human 

 fpecies that was found in the woods of Saxony. And I have lately 

 difcovered that there were found in Devonfhire two children, a boy 

 that appeared to be about ten years of age, and a girl of twelve, 

 going upon all four with furprifmg celerity. This I learnt from a 

 newfpaper that was publlflied in Devonfhire, of which I have given 

 the words in the note below:]:. But befides thefe inftances-of fingle 

 favages walking that way, I have mentioned, in the palTage from 

 the Origin and Progrefs of Language, above quoted, two nations, 

 namely the Hottentots and Carribbees, where the children walk {o 

 long upon all four, that they are taught with much difficulty to 

 walk upright. 



Thefe examples prove, I think, beyond doubt, that the natural 

 motion of man is upon all four * They are not very many in num- 

 ber ; 



* Vol, III. of this work, p. 57. and alfo p; 363. 



t Ibid. p. 74. 



\ '■'• A Faci. — There are at prefent two children at Gruw]pt in Devonfhire, who- 

 *» have been fuf&red, by their mother, to run wild from their infancy rather than 

 " accept of the parifh affiftance. The one is a boy of ten, the other a girl of twelve 

 " years of age. They are both in a ftate of nature, feeding only on wild berries, 

 " and running on all fours with amazing celerity. If purfued, they utter a terrific 

 " fcream, and hide themfelves oa the top of a hill, or in the recefles of a thicket 

 " They are never feen in a (landing pofture ; nor can they be prevailed on to ap- 

 " proach any perfon but their mother, with whom, though they cannot fpeak, they 

 " have always kept up a diftant and fearful communication." What is become of 

 thefe children, or whether they be yet exifling, I cannot tell, though I have ordered, 

 an inquiry to be made. 



