TO THE LOWER ANIMALS 269 



refutation, except for the general and natural belief that 

 deliberate and reiterated assertions must have some founda- 

 tion. 



Before we can discuss the first point with advantage we 

 must consider with some attention, and compare together, 

 the structure of the human hand and that of the human 

 foot, so that we may have distinct and clear ideas of what 

 constitutes a hand and what a foot 



The external form of the human hand is familiar enough 

 to every one. It consists of a stout wrist followed by a 

 broad palm, formed of flesh, and tendons, and skin, bind- 

 ing together four bones, and dividing into four long and 

 flexible digits, or fingers, each of which bears on the back 

 of its last joint a broad and flattened nail. The longest 

 cleft between any two digits is rather less than half as 

 long as the hand. From the outer side of the base of the 

 palm a stout digit goes off, having only two joints instead 

 of three ; so short, that it only reaches to a little beyond 

 the middle of the first joint of the finger next it ; and 

 further remarkable by its great mobility, in consequence of 

 which it can be directed outwards, almost at a right angle 

 to the rest. This digit is called the ' pollex,' or thumb ; 

 and, like the others, it bears a flat nail upon the back of its 

 terminal joint. In consequence of the proportions and 

 mobility of the thumb, it is what is termed " opposable " ; 

 in other words, its extremity can, with the greatest ease, 

 be brought into contact with the extremities of any of 

 the fingers ; a property upon which the possibility of our 

 carrying into effect the conceptions of the mind so largely 

 depends. 



The external form of the foot differs widely from that of 

 the hand ; and yet, when closely compared, the two present 

 some singular resemblances. Thus the ankle corresponds 

 in a manner with the wrist ; the sole with the palm ; the 

 toes with the fingers ; the great toe with the thumb. But 

 the toes, or digits of the foot, are far shorter in proportion 

 than the digits of the hand, and are less moveable, the want 

 of mobility being most striking in the great toe which, 

 again, is very much larger in proportion to the other toes 

 than the thumb to the fingers. In considering this point, 

 however, it must not be forgotten that the civilized great 

 toe, confined and cramped from childhood upwards, is 

 seen to a great disadvantage, and that in uncivilized and 



