90 Aljurdities of Modern ' Metapbyjics. [Book IX. 

 v/as defigned to take of nature -, and which, inftead 

 of being a mark, as a French writer pretends to think, of 

 human arrogance, in departing from the horizontal 

 poilure, which was allotted to man in common with 

 other quadrupeds, is one proof of the diftance which 

 the Deity meant to interpofe between him and the 

 reft of the animal creation. That author,, however, de- 

 nies the fuperiority of man in every refpect; and main- 

 tains, that the mental acquirements of a horfe would 

 not be inferior to thofe of a man, if the former was 

 furnilhed with fingers, and endued with the fame exqui- 

 fite fenfe of feeling which the latter enjoys. We may 

 grant that all our fimple ideas are derived from the in- 

 formation of our fenfes -, but we would aik what experi- 

 ments this philofopher or his adherents have made, to 

 afcertain, that there can be no differences in the ftruc- 

 ture of intellectual organs ? and upon what authority 

 they conclude, that all the varieties we obferve in 

 mental endowments, among individuals of the lame 

 race, as well as among different races of animals, are 

 folely to be referred to differences in the organs 

 of fenfe ? But granting all that he requefts, how 

 came man to have fingers and horfes none, if they 

 were equally clefigned to gallop through the forell ? 

 he muft either have made fingers for himfelf, or he 

 mufi have been originally -defigned by his Maker for 

 nobler, occupations. 



The ftru&ure of man, moreover, in feveral other par- 

 ticulars, entirely confutes the aflerdons of this contemp- 

 tible vifionary ; but without attending to other circum- 

 ftances, it will be fufficient to mention the formation of 

 the lower extremities in man, fo different from the hind 

 legs of quadrupeds, and fo admirably adapted to the 

 erect pofture. By fome naturalifts the Ourang- 

 Outang is confidered as the original flock of the human 



race. 



