BOOK III. CHAP. I. 369 



polfeffing the fame ftrufture and organization, is alfo defiined to the 

 like precedence and authority. The fole diftin£lion between him and 

 man, muft confift in the meafure of intelleftual faculties ; thofe facul- 

 ties which the moft fkilful anatomift is incapable of tracing the fource 

 of, and which exift independent of the Jiruclure of the brain ; thefe 

 powers are rendered vifible only in the reUiIt they produce, through 

 the intervention of the bodily organs. Hence it is certain, that the 

 oran-outang, though endued with brains and organs of a ftrudure not 

 to be diftinguiflied from thofe of man by the ablelT: anatomifts, fiill re- 

 mains very far inferior to our idea oi a. perfect human being, unlefs he 

 alfo is endowed with the faculties of rcafon and perception, adapted to 

 dired him in the application of that mechanifm to the fame ufts as we 

 find it applied in a rational man. According to Mr. Buffon, he has 

 eyes, but fees not; ears has he, but hears not ; he has a tongue, and 

 the human organs of fpeech, hut fpuihs tiot ; he has the human brain, 

 but does net th:nk\ forms no comparifons, draws no conclufions, 

 makes no refleftions, and is determined, like brute animals, by a po- 

 fitive limited inftinft. But in truth, we know not the meafure of 

 their intellect, nor can form a competent judgement of it from one or 

 two young animals, that were (hewn for a few months in France and 

 England. Dogs, and fome other brutes, have been made, by dint of 

 tlows, rewards, and conftant exercife, to vary their motions in a very 

 furprifing manner, according to the defires and fignals of their teachers; 

 but in thefe cafes, the aftual Ikill has been fuppofed to refide in the 

 teacher, and thatno juft argument can be drawn from hence to prove 

 any particular dexterity in them, much lefs any defign of theirs, or 

 degree of perfeftion acquired by reafoning: the monkey tribe indeed 

 form fome exception, who, even in their wild ftate, fliew a voluntary 

 delight and readinefs in mimicking human a61ions, of which there are 

 an infinite multitude of well-attefied proofs. When we come to view 

 the fi:rufture of the oran-outang, we are forced to acknowledge, that 

 his aiStions and movements would 7iot be natural^ unlefs they refembled 

 thofe oi man. To find him therefore excelling the brute animals in 

 the dexterity of his manoeuvres, and aptnefs of his imitations, does not 

 excite our admiration, fo much as the readinefs of apprehenfion, with 

 which, in his flate of impuberty or childhood (if I may fo exprefs my- 

 felf ), his performances before luch a variety of fpedators were ufually 

 Vol. II. B b b accompanied. 



