450 MAN, PHYSICALLY CONSIDERED. 



the feet, in the organs of speech, and the notes of the 

 voice, appear to recognise no fixed principles whatever 

 in their classification of the species of animals.'* 



Strange as it may seem, many persons have attempted 

 to confound mankind with monkeys, supposing them to 

 compose one and the same species. And as one horse 

 is better of more perfect form, and noble appearance 

 than another, so are some monkeys who are called men 

 superior in instinct and in appearance to their brethren 

 who are chattering in the woods. A tail is a very con- 

 venient appendage to the monkeys of the woods, but 

 Lord Monboddo supposes that civilization having intro- 

 duced the custom of sitting doicn, this appendage has 

 been worn off. The stories that have been told of the 

 Ourang Outang, and of his striking resemblance to the 

 human race are greatly exaggerated. This native of the 

 tropical forests is a disgusting little animal running 

 upon all fours, but capable of being taught, like the dog, 

 to stand erect. This is never his natural attitude, and 

 the anatomical structure of his limbs, renders it impossi- 

 ble that it should be. This animal is made for climbing, 

 and its feet are constructed in such a manner as to en- 

 able it to grasp hold of the branches. It is covered with 

 coarse hair, and has features but little more resembling 

 the human than the dog. And this is the disgusting 

 creature with which some of our fellow men have claim- 

 ed relationship. 



Many marvellous stories have been related of wild men 

 found in the woods who were unable to speak, who run 

 upon all fours, and ascended trees with the swiftness of 

 the wild-cat. But not one of these stories are well au- 

 thenticated. A slave ship was once wrecked upon the 

 coast of France. One of the negro girls swam ashore, 

 the rest of the crew were lost. She was found in the 

 woods. As she had just been brought from the wilds of 

 Africa, she of course could not converse in French, and 

 people thought she could not talk at all. Wonderful sto- 

 ries were told about her. She was however, instructed 

 in the French language by the hospitable family, into 



* Malte Brun. 



