II MAN AND APES: HAND AND BRAIN 117 



characters of the hand, the foot, and the 

 brain. 



Man has been defined as the only animal 

 possessed of two hands terminating his fore limbs, 

 and of two feet ending his hind limbs, while it has 

 been said that all the apes possess four hands; 

 and he has been affirmed to differ fundamentally 

 from all the apes in the characters of his brain, 

 which alone, it has been strangely asserted and 

 reasserted, exhibits the structures known to 

 anatomists as the posterior lobe, the posterior 

 cornu of the lateral ventricle, and the hippocampus 

 minor. 



That the former proposition should have gained 

 general acceptance is not surprising indeed, at 

 first sight, appearances are much in its favour : 

 but, as for the second, one can only admire the 

 surpassing courage of its enunciator, seeing that 

 it is an innovation which is not only opposed to 

 generally and justly accepted doctrines, but which 

 is directly negatived by the testimony of all 

 original inquirers, who have specially investigated 

 the matter : and that it neither has been, nor can 

 be, supported by a single anatomical preparation. 

 It would, in fact, be unworthy of serious refutation, 

 except for the general and natural belief that 

 deliberate and reiterated assertions must have 

 some foundation. 



Before we can discuss the first point with 



