Chap. 3.] Structure of the Ourang-Outang. 91 



race. His claims to humanity are founded upon his 

 being able to walk upright, being furnifhed with fuch 

 mufcles as are requifite for that purpofe. The form 

 of his heart, lungs, bread, brains, and inteftines are 

 iimilar to thofe t)f a man. He can fit upright with 

 eafe, and can handle a flick with dexterity. That his 

 race is diftinct, however, from that of man, is evi- 

 dent from his having thirteen ribs on each fide, where- 

 as man has but twelve. He has not the faculty of 

 ipeech, and articulation is impofiible to him, on ac- 

 count of the ftructure of the parts about the larynx. 



While, however, we diffent from thefe authors, in 

 finking man to the level of other animals, let us re- 

 flecl that the purpofe of nature feems to be, to diffufe 

 life and enjoyment wherever they can exifl ; and let 

 .us avoid the oppofite, narrow-minded, and, if pofiible, 

 ftill more abfurd notion, that the happinefs of man is 

 the fole object of creation. 



Jn the animals which more commonly fall under our 

 obfervation, the furface is foft, and the bones are deeply 

 feated ; but in others the reverfe happens, and we ob- 

 ferve the bones forming a cafe to the fofter parts. We 

 fee fome animals furniihed with wings, to fport in the 

 regions of the atmofphere j fome immerfed by means 

 of a heavy fhell, during the whole of their exiflence, 

 in the depths of the ocean j and others furnifhed with 

 organs, to perforate their dark paflage through the 

 bowels of the earth. In general the bones of animals 

 are filled with marrow, but in many kinds of birds they 

 are excavated for the reception of air, fitting them for 

 floating more eafily on the furface of water, and at the 

 fame time, when neceffity requires, for remaining 

 longer beneath its furface. In fome animals, even 

 the brain and heart efcape our moft careful refearches ; 

 and fome, like vegetables, may be mukiplied from 



the 



