26O Human Understanding* 



CHAP. XIII. 



Of the Human Understanding. 



THE understanding of Man is what 

 particularly exalts him above the brute 

 creation. Though some of the most sa- 

 gacious of animals appear, in regard to 

 intellect, in certain points of view, to 

 approximate to the lowest of the human 

 species, yet there can be no doubt that 

 man is much farther exalted above them 

 all, than any one of these excels the 

 next below it ; for though many of the 

 higher orders possess a kind of memo- 

 ry, and the faculty of reasoning in a cer- 

 tain degree ; though " the ox knoweth 

 his owner, and the ass his master's crib," 

 yet, unless it be in recollecting their de- 

 pendence on others for food, and a few 

 circumstances of a similar nature, ten- 

 ding chiefly to the preservation of exist- 



