MONKEY KIND. 303 



within the narrow circle of their own observation. 

 But, though it may be proper enough to describe 

 such as fall under notice, it is certainly wrong to 

 offer a scanty catalogue as complete, and to in- 

 duce the reader to suppose he sees a picture of 

 the whole group of these animals, when he is 

 only presented with a small part of the number. 

 Such, therefore, as are fond of the reputation of 

 adding new descriptions to the stock of natural 

 history, have here a wide, though surely a barren 

 field to enlarge in ; and they will find it no diffi- 

 cult matter, by observing the various animals of 

 this kind that are from time to time brought from 

 their native coasts to this country, to indulge in 

 description, and to ring the changes upon all the 

 technical terms with which this most pleasing 

 science is obscured and rendered disgusting. For 

 my own part, I will spare the reader and myself 

 the trouble of entering into an elaborate descrip- 

 tion of each ; content with observing once more, 

 that their numbers are very great, and their dif- 

 ferences very trifling. There is scarcely a coun- 

 try in the tropical climates that does not swarm 

 with them, and scarcely a forest that is not inha- 

 bited by a race of monkeys distinct from all others. 

 Every different wood along the coast of Africa 

 may be considered as a separate colony of mon- 

 keys, differing from those of the next district in 

 colour, in size, and malicious mischief. It is in- 

 deed remarkable that the monkeys of two cantons 

 are never found to mix with each other, but rigo- 

 rously to observe a separation ; each forest pro- 

 duces only its own ; and these guard their limits 



58 



